The Garnet Group

There are several different types of garnet, Pyrope, Spessartine, Almandine, Uvarovite, Hessonite (Grossular Garnet) which can occur in a wide variety of colors but the name is derived from the first specimen found which was a gooseberry green color.  Most often when we think of garnet the color that comes to mind is a deep blood red, which is the most common found set in jewelry.

The Almandine Garnet is probably one of the most familiar of the garnet group used in jewelry today, with its orangy red through to red and reddish purple color.  Almandines were often cut 'en cabochon' by the Ancient Romans to bring out the stones richness of color.  Also popular today is the Rhodalite Garnet, a newer stone found in North Carolina around the end of the nineteenth century. This stone is more rapsberry pink to purplish red in colour and can be a variety of Almandine or Pyrope depending on the proportion of iron to magnesium in the stone.

Jewelry using the Pyrope garnet has been made in Bohemia for over 500 years and for this reason is sometimes referred to as the 'Bohemian Garnet'. This garnet was very popular during the Victorian era but is now in short supply.  Antique jewelry collectors favor the elaborate Victorian jewelry designs which were set with a multitude of small pyrope stones. Colors range from medium to dark reddish orange through to purplish red.

Spessartite Garnets range from a medium-light to dark yellow or reddish orange.  These are often in limited supply, but are a good alternative for your January birthstone, if you do not favor the red color of Pyrope or Almandite. Though expect to pay a little more for Spessartite.

Hessonite Garnets can be found in brownish yellows and oranges and because of their connection to Sri Lanka are also known as the 'Cinnamon stone'.

Demantoid Garnet (meaning 'Diamond-like' in dutch) is also a member of the Garnet family.  It is a beautiful green stone, with intense color going from green to yellow-green.  Good quality demantoid will display what is known as 'horse-tails' when viewed under a microscope. These are wisps of golden fibre-like inclusions radiating out from the central point.  This stone was first discovered in Russia around 1868, and was much used in Victorian jewelry made between 1865 and 1915.

Being a 61/2 to 71/1 on the Mohs scale, Garnets are a fairly tough stone.

Abrupt temperature changes are likely to cause the stone to fracture. The safest way to clean your stone is with warm mild soapy water and dry with a soft cloth.  Ultrasonic cleaning can be used, but can be risky if the stone is highly included, or containes liquid inclusions.

History and Lore

The modern birthstone for January, it is also associated with the Star Sign Aquarius (Jan 21 - Feb 19). Garnet is a projective stone associated with Healing, Protection and Strength. In the middle ages, garnets were worn to ward off insects. Garnets were once given as a symbol of affection beween parting friends in the belief that it would help ensure they meet again later. When used as a healing stone, garnet is thought to help regulate the heart and blood, it can also be used to bring some relief to skin conditions and inflammation. Crystal Energies: Projective.  The Ayurvedic Stone is also Garnet and the Mystical stone Emerald.