Garnet – January Birthstone

Typically red, Garnets are thought to resemble the seeds of a pomegranate. In fact, the name Garnet was derived from the Latin Garanatus – meaning seed-like.

Prized for thousands of years, the oldest garnet jewellery was discovered in the form of beads found in the grave of a young man, dating from 3000BC. An ancient and meaningful stone to the Bohemians, Anglo-Saxons and Victorians alike, Garnets have long been seen as a token of everlasting love.

There are few gemstones that come in such a wide range of colours. Garnets also show a good lustre and wide variety in size of crystals found. All Garnet minerals show a cubic crystal structure and are mined in many diverse parts of the world.

My personal favourites are the green Demantoid and Tzavorite forms. However, garnets are also found in orange, yellow and purple. In terms of hardness, Garnets score a 7.5 on the Moh’s Scale meaning they are a good choice for rings.