Garnet – birthstone for the month of January.
Believed to represent faith, loyalty, truth and devotion, garnet is known as the stone of commitment.
Most people think of garnet as a single type of gem that is dark red in color. Actually, garnet is a gem
family that spans a range of red, green, yellow, orange, purple and brown shades.
Garnet's name comes from the Latin "Granatus," which means "seed-like." Many garnet crystals have
the shape and color of pomegranate seeds.
Best known among the garnets are the deep red almandine and pyrope garnets. Their widespread
availability makes them extremely affordable (under $40 a carat).
In recent years rhodolite, a mix of almandine and pyrope, has become increasingly popular and is
found in light to dark pink to purplish red, even grape. Rare garnets as the green colored tsavorite,
can cost several hundreds of dollars per cart.
Buying Tips
Color is most important when determining the value of garnet. Lively, bright colors command
higher prices than gems that are too light or dark. Better quality garnets are usually eye clean
and very high clarity (not many inclusions) under magnification. Also watch out for synthetic
imitations in lower priced jewelry.
Folklore
There are many ancient traditions and legends about garnets. According to the Egyptians, garnet is an
antidote for snakebite and food poisoning. Some Hebrew writers include it as one of the 12 gems in
Aaron’s breastplate. Christian tradition long considered the blood-red garnet symbolic of Christ's
sacrifice. The Koran holds that it illuminates the Fourth Heaven of the Moslems. Garnet was said to
give its wearer guidance in the night allowing him to see when others couldn’t. Legend claims that
Noah hung a large garnet in the ark for illumination. Garnet was thought to help the wearer resist
melancholy, cure heart palpitations, word off evil spirits, spark creativity and provide a grounding
influence.
Care
Clean garnet with warm soapy water and a soft brush. A sonic cleaner can
be used for most garnets except for Andradite (Demantoid) garnets because they
are softer than other garnets. Do not use a steamer.
