Garnet Birthstone for January
For those born in January Garnet is the classic birthstone.
Garnet is mined in a rainbow of colors depending on it's origin.
Garnet gets a bad rap simply because the garnet set in inexpensive jewelry is usually a dull brownish red color. I saw some garnet beaded bracelets at a craft show a few weeks ago that were so lifeless and unattractive I could not imagine offering them for sale - even at $12 each.
Garnet is mined in many different colors. But if garnet is your birthstone and you want a red colored gemstone you do not have to settle for a dull brownish stone - true jewelry quality garnet is available as a clear, fiery red gemstone. Look for the pyrope species of garnet. As a bonus - not only is pyrope a beautiful red color - it is very affordable.
Garnet is the magical substitution for ruby and I honestly prefer using ruby if a red gemstone is needed. Along these lines - be advised - if a red gemstone is being advertised as an 'American Ruby', 'Arizona Ruby' or 'Cape Ruby' you are being sold a red garnet. This is a deceptive practice and I would not purchase any jewelry, gemstone or otherwise, from this vendor.
A few years ago I hand crafted a line of friendship jewelry using garnet and lapis lazuli. Historically garnet has been exchanged between good friends who are parting (moving to different cities, finishing up college, switching jobs) and lapis is a very powerful fidelity charm. The combination of the two makes for a nice piece of jewelry with a purpose.
Depending on where it is naturally found garnet is mined in a myriad of colors. My favorite variety of garnet is tsavorite garnet. This grossular species of garnet is a vibrant, intense green. Tsavorite garnet is found in Kenya, Tanzania and Pakistan. It's beautiful hue is due to the fact that it contains vanadium and chromium.
The following is a color guide to other popular species and varieties of garnet:
- Rhodolite - purple hue that can range from a light rose color to a deep lavender similar to amethyst. This variety of garnet contains iron which gives the gemstone its purple hue.
- Hessonite - this type of garnet is a reddish-orange color similar to cinnamon. Hessonite is a very inexpensive variety of garnet that can be quite beautiful depending upon its setting.
- Looking for a yellow garnet? Mali garnets which are a variety of the grossular species are mined in yellow and green. Topazolite garnets are also yellow.
On the Mohn's scale of hardness garnets come in at 7 and are generally a fairly tough semi-precious gemstone that is appropriate set in any type of jewelry. Garnets are normally natural - not treated or enhanced in any way.
In addition to being January's gemstone garnet is also the gemstone of the second wedding anniversary.
The picture on this page is an example of lower priced garnet beads that were not identifed by the seller as being of any particular species and an untreated, uncut garnet crystal.
