January birthstone: garnet

Credits: www.indiamart.com

Garnet is an eclectic stone, which has been used since ancient times to embellish jewelery and precious accessories and was very popular in the Victorian period).

It owes its name to the Latin word “granatus”, which means pomegranate. The pomegranate is traditionally served as a New Year fruit and its seeds represent birth and renewal.

Credits: www.ftmmachinaery.com

COLOR AND VARIETY

Although garnets owe their popularity to their typical deep red color, which is their best-known variety, these magnificent stones come in a multitude of colors, including orange, yellow, green, of course red and even blue.

To be precise, the word “garnet” refers to a varied group of minerals, five of which are commercially relevant and used in jewellery:

Pyrope
Almandine
Spessartine
Grossular
Andradite

Rough pyrope, Credits: www.naturaldiamonds.com

Almandine garnet crystal with muscovite crystals from Gilgit District, Northern Areas, Pakistan. Photo Mardani Fine Minerals, Credits: www.naturaldiamonds.com

Rough and cut spessartite, Credits: www.naturaldiamonds.com

Pink grossular from Jeffrey Mine Asbestos, Quebec Canada, Credits: www.naturaldiamonds.com

Andradite, Credits: www.naturaldiamonds.com

HISTORY AND TRADITIONS

Some believe that Noah illuminated the interior of his famous Ark with a lantern decorated with garnets. Without bothering the Bible, we can say that sumptuous garnet necklaces belonging to pharaohs have been found in Egypt. Pharaohs were buried together with their most precious belongings, which were deemed necessary in their afterlife.

In ancient Rome, Emperors used to wear signet rings carved from garnet, that was used to seal the most important documents in wax.

In the Middle Ages, both the clergy and the nobility had a predilection for garnets. Garnets became even more valuable around 1500, with the discovery of an important deposit in Bohemia. The availability of these gems on the market increased and from that moment on, crowned heads across Europe requested garnets for their royal collections.

Garnet is the gem associated with the second wedding anniversary and its meaning recalls health, wealth, happiness.

Furthermore, although not all garnets are red, it is said that they can normalize blood pressure, regulate the heartbeat and that the cardiovascular system can generally benefit from this gem.

Since January is traditionally the month of New Year good intentions, I’d like to add that according to Indian astrology, garnet is the right stone to eliminate negative energies, such as depression or guilt, and to increase energy, willpower and self-esteem. So, after the Christmas binges, I would say that the best way to start the New Year is wearing a beautiful garnet jewel!

ORIGIN

Nowadays, the largest garnet deposits are found in Africa. In particular, spessartite comes from Namibia and tsavorite comes from Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar.

In addition to the African continent, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Iran and Brazil are also important garnet producers.

However, their abundance should not be misleading: excellent quality gems are always rare to find, especially in high carat weights. Their rarity has captured the attention of many high jewelry houses, that choose them as a central gems in their exceptional and unique pieces.

Credits: www.indiamart.com

WHAT FACTORS DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF A GARNET?

1_COLOR

When buying a garnet, the most relevant factor to focus your attention on is undoubtedly color.

However, you must keep in mind that garnets form a rich group of minerals, whose appearance can vary greatly, therefore there are many varieties and many colors.

Geologists and precious stone dealers usually divide the many types of garnets on color, for example:

1. Pyrope and 2. almandine: they range from purple to orange-red, or brownish red. The spectacular red-purple variety is called rhodolite.

3. Spessartine: it is renowned for its vivid orange-tangerine color and yellow tones.

4. Grossular: this variety enjoys greater plurality of colour, ranging from non-colour, to yellow, up to red-orange and vibrant green, which is called tsavorite. The latter is very rare and often used in high jewelery pieces by the most prestigious brands.

5. Andradite: it is mainly found is yellow or yellowish-green. The green variety has a very vivid hue and is called demantoid.

Rough and cut rhodolite, Credits: www.geologyin..com

Tsavorite, Credits: www.geologyin.com

Andradite demantoid Garnet, Credits: www.geologyin..com

What is the difference between the various types of green garnets?

Although tsavorite and demantoid hues are similar, these gems belong to two different types of minerals: tsavorite is green grossular, while demantoid is green andradite. Andradite is softer than grossular, but has a higher refractive index and dispersion.

Garnets are rarely found in higher than half a carat weight.

Equally rare and precious are demantoid (electric green), spessartine (fiery orange) and rhodolite (deep red to purple).

2_CLARITY

The clarity degree usually depends on the type of garnet, for example the red ones (almandine, pyrope and rhodolite) generally do not have naked-eye visible inclusions, while some orange garnets (such as spessartine) do.

3_CARAT WEIGHT

You can find garnets in all carat weights, however some varieties, such as demantoid and tsavorite, are more commonly found in small sizes. So their value increases significantly as the carat weight increases.

4_CUT

When it comes to a gem appearance, cut is one of the most important factors in order to show its beauty and sparkle. A garnet should shine brightly, reflecting light. It is essential that the cut is perfect.

CARE AND CLEANING

In the Mohs scale (i.e. the criterion for evaluating the hardness of minerals, drawn up by the mineralogist Friedrich Mohs), garnets occupy the intermediate position between 6.5 and 7. This means that garnet is fairly durable and resistant, but not as much as diamonds, sapphires and rubies. Furthermore it could be exposed to scratches, scuffs and dents, if not appropriately protected by an adequate and strong setting.

Credits: blog.jamesallen.com

If you are in love with garnet and want to buy a ring with this beautiful stone, then I suggest a solid and protective setting such as bezel or halo. An alternative idea is to avoid setting the garnet as central stone, and rather set it as lateral and decorative gem especially if you plan to wear the jewel every day.

Cushion-cut garnet halo ring in sterling silver, Credits: www.bluenile.com

Le Vian rose gold diamond and garnet halo ring, Credits: www.ernestjones.co.uk

Reinassance Ring, Credits: www.davidyurman.com

It is also advisable that you take into consideration the place where you intend to store the garnet ring, which must not rub against harder stones so as not to be scratched, nor against softer stones (e.g. pearls and opals) so as not to damage them in turn.

If you want to clean your garnet, all you need is a toothbrush with soft bristles, some warm water and soap. Everything you need to know about cleaning your jewellery at home is here.

With its typical fiery red color, garnet pairs beautifully with both white gold and platinum, to create contrast, and with yellow gold, which gives it a more regal look.