Gemstone Information
Garnet is derived from the Latin word "granum" meaning "grain". This refers to the typically rounded shape of Garnet and also reminiscent of the seeds of the pomegranate. Garnets have been widely known for thousands of years. Even Noah, it is reported, used a lantern from garnet in order to safely steer his Ark through the darkness of the night. Although the color red occurs most frequently, there are also garnets showing different shades of green, pale to bright yellow, fiery orange and fine earth- and umbra-shades. Only blue is the color that is not available in Garnet.
The excellent hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs' scale explains, why these gemstones are so excellent to wear. Garnets are quite sturdy and resistant to everyday wear and tear, and uncomplicated to work into jewelry. Garnet is the January birthstone.
Color: Although the color red is occurs most frequently, there are also garnets showing different shades of green, pale to bright yellow, fiery orange and fine earth- and umbra-shades. Blue is the only color that is not available in Garnet. Color change garnets are mostly pyrope and spessartite in composition. The colorful members of the garnet group:
- Pyrope, red garnet, frequently with brown tint
- Rhodolite, purplish red or rose-color garnet
- Almandite, red garnet with violet tint
- Spessartite, orange to red-brown garnet. The best specimen comes from Namibia and is called "Mandarin Spessartine".
- Grossularite, colorless, green, yellow, brown garnet
- Hydrogrossular, dense, opaque greenish variety of grossularite
- Hessonite, brown-red variety of garnet Leuco garnet, colorless variety of grossularite
- Tsavorite, green to emerald green garnet Andradite, black, brown, yellow-brown garnet
- Demantoid, the most valuable garnet, green to emerald green
- Melanite, opaque black variety of andradite
- Tapazolite, yellow to lemon yellow, topaz-like variety of andradite
- Uvarovite, emerald green garnet that rarely occurs in gemstone quality.
Cut: Garnets qualify for any cut and come in various shapes.
The Garnet Zodiac, Myth & Legend: Garnets have been widely known for thousands of years. Even Noah, it is reported, used a lantern from garnet in order to safely steer his Ark through the darkness of the night. Garnets are found in jewelry from ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman eras. Many courageous discoverers and travelers wore Garnets for protection, as they were considered popular talismans and protective stones, because it was believed in those days that Garnets illuminate the night and prevent their wearer from any sort of evil.
Garnet is the birthstone for those who are born in January. On the Zodiac chart, it is listed as the stone for Aquarius.
In Antiquity, as well as in the Middle Ages people believed that the cosmos is reflected in gemstones. The garnet is assigned to the planets Mars, Mercury and Pluto. The esoteric movement revived the ancient belief and the gem industry made it another marketing tool to promote certain gems.
The healing powers of gems remain a controversial issue, but are mentioned for centuries by healers, shamans and medicine men. Whether it's a fact or a placebo effect doesn't matter, if it helps. The safest approach is to wear the gemstone in skin contact to the troubled part of the body. Garnet is said to be of help for arthritis, pancreas, varicose veins and problems with testicles and toenails.
