Garnet, the Bright Red Seed of January

If you were born in January, congratulations! You have one of the most beautiful gems to represent your birth month – the garnet. The gem has an interesting background in general.

What is the history of birthstones?

According to Wonderopolis.org, we’ve held gems sacred to us since biblical times. Scholars trace it back to the passage in Exodus 28, in which Moses gives instructions on how to make special clothing for Aaron, who is the High Priest of the Chosen People. In particular, Aaron’s breastplate is mentioned to have twelve gemstones, which represent “the twelve tribes of Israel” (“How”).

As time passed, the biblical meaning behind it changed to that of the twelve zodiac signs, the signs based on the day and month in which we were born.

In ancient civilizations, the birthstones were believed to have special powers encased inside them. Some of them supposedly brought good health, while others brought good luck and wealth to their owners.

Maybe the reason why we as humans have been pulled into the alluring nature of birthstones is that they’ve become sacred to us. When something becomes sacred, we long to have it close to us no matter what. We consider it special and therefore we are driven to collect it. Combine this with the sacredness of birth and life, and you have quite the powerful meaning behind a shiny little gem. Owning one gives us the privilege of showing other people what we consider to be precious.

Historically, each of the birthstones has a meaning attached to them.

What does the garnet represent?

January’s birthstone represents trust and friendship. The word comes from “granatum,” meaning “seed.” The most common reason that people consider it to be named this is that the red version of the garnet contains the same red that is found when you crush to open a pomegranate and look at the red seeds.

In the past, they were linked with the biblical character Noah who apparently used the gem to steer the Ark through rain for forty days and forty nights. This gave the birthstone a reputation of being a gem that guides those who wear them.

Archeologists have found garnets in the form of bracelets, beads and other jewelry near the Nile delta, which makes them believe that the gem was popular during the ancient Egyptian reign.

They found resurgence in popularity during the Victorian era. They were commonly found in brooches and bracelets. Many of them have become family heirlooms over the decades.

They have been used for a wide variety of things. In ancient times, the gem was used to cure certain diseases, bring romance to the wearer, and balance their personal energy. In other cases, the gem was used to bring about regenerative qualities and a healthier body. Wearers were even believed to be protected from sadness, being poisoned, and guarded against night terrors. They were also believed to have brought stronger bonds between the wearer and their family and friends.

What is the garnet?

According to GeologyIn.com, this is a gem that comes in a variety of colors, not just the typical red that we see represented in almost every discussion about the gem. Some notable variations are the “rich green of Tsavorite Garnet” and the “fiery orange of Mandarin Garnet” (“Find”).

The gem comes from “a group of silicate minerals” that has been used as far back as the Bronze Age. Interestingly enough, they all have the same “physical properties and crystal forms,” but they differ chemically.

The different types are the andradite, uvarovite, tsavorite, hessonite, grossular, spessartine, the almandine, and finally the pyrope.

They have more than one shade of red too! They also come in shades of yellow, orange, brown, purple, pink, and green.

Commerce-wise, the gem is used for waterjet cutting, abrasive coating, grinding, abrasive air blasting, and filtration.

Where are garnets found?

It is true that they can be found in the United States, but they’re found in other parts of the world as well. You can find the semi-typical red ones in China, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and South Africa.

If you’re looking for the rarest one, you’ll want to head to France, Italy, Germany, or Switzerland.

If you’re on the hunt for the tangerine-colored gem, you’ll want to look in the U.S., Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Kenya, or Brazil. Special mention goes to the orange stones found in Namibia.

The easiest search is for the richly dark garnet that usually represents the month of January. You can find this one in Sri Lanka, the U.S., Brazil, and India.

Are garnets precious or semi-precious stones?

Garnets are semi-precious. According to geologists, the only gemstones that are precious stones are the sapphire, emerald, ruby, and diamond. Don’t let the word “precious” fool you though. It doesn’t mean that these stones are lesser than their precious peers. The words are merely meant to determine the rarity of one gem in comparison to another.

How much is a garnet valued at?

In the shortest explanation – it varies.

In the longer explanation – the value depends on several factors: its size, the clarity (meaning there aren’t dents, scratches or a smoky aura within), the type, and the color. This means that the rarest known green-colored gem can fetch a good price of around $4,500 per carat. The most common can fetch as low as $100 for each carat.

What type of jewelry is a garnet found in?

They are created in a bunch of different sizes and shapes, which makes it easy for buyers to find something that will satisfy anyone who is born in January. The cheapest are usually the ones sold by themselves and with rougher cuts, which make them ideal for those who have shallower wallets. The stone is a beautiful collector’s item to have regardless if you want to collect it for yourself because you’re a January baby, or you want to buy it for someone else.

For the most adventurous and do-it-yourself types out there you can also purchase a very rough piece, and cut it yourself. There are sources online that can help you make the process go (excuse the pun) smoothly. They’ll provide you with the instruction you’ll need to create perfect measurements to give you confidence in the choice you’ve made. Cutting it personally is an important decision because you’re personally investing in the gem. You’ll want to make sure that it lasts for a long time.

How do you care for a garnet?

According to GIA.com, its hardness “ranges from 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.” The Mohs scale, for those who aren’t familiar with it, is the scale in which the hardness of a mineral or gem is measured by. The way we determine the hardness of a gem is how easily or not the gem is scratched. This means that garnets are pretty durable, which is why they’re commonly seen in different pieces of jewelry (Care).

You can clean them pretty easily with soapy warm water, though it is recommended by gem enthusiasts that you consider cleaning it through ultrasonic cleaning. Be careful though, because if your gem has fractures in it, the ultrasonic cleaning process can create deeper fractures. Do not steam-clean them.

If it does have a fracture, then just clean with soap and water. They’re almost never treated for fractures.

What are the different types of garnet gems?

Almandine

Starting with a common form, we have the almandine. It is opaque in nature and is considered not a good fit for gemstone use. Only the transparent, less common and translucent types make better gemstones. The name almandine isn’t really used in the gem trade subculture where it’s known more commonly as the “almandine garnet.”

The almandine is darker in tone, giving it a blood-red color. It’s known for having the hardest form in its gem family. Sometimes they are hollowed out from the bottom so that more light can reflect off of it, which makes it look lighter. You normally can’t tell when it has been hollowed out because crafters hide it within the jewelry, but you can tell from the weight of it. Hollowed out gems are lighter.

Pyrope

Another very popular form, the pyrope is also dark and red like blood in its presentation. Unlike the almandine, it is more commonly used for gemstone use. It is known within the gem trading subculture as “pyrope garnet.” Part of what makes the pyrope good for gemstone usage is how flawless and clean it cuts. They’re also lighter than the almandine, so there is no need for the gem to be hollowed out. They’re usually put into pendants, earrings, and rings. They’re also turned into beads for necklaces and bracelets.

Spessartite

Veering from the reddish tones of the previous types, this is mostly found in orange and reddish-orange tints. Another term for the gem is “spessartine,” but the gem trading subculture uses the term “spessartine garnet” the most.

Traces of iron found within the gems are what give the spessartite its reddish tone. Pure orange variations are highly uncommon. They’re known for having a strong reflective property, which gives them a brilliant shine in the sunlight. Although once quite rare, the spessartite has become more and more popular in mainstream society. This may have been because since its discovery in the 60s, in Kenya and Tanzania, the gem has become more commonplace, although it is still pretty rare by normal, semi-precious qualifications.

They too are commonly placed in pendants, rings, and bracelets.

Grossular

The grossular type comes in most colors. It has been found in gray, purple, pink, brown, orange, yellow, green, red, and clear and white. The purest form of grossular is clear and the variety of different colors is from the different types of impurities found within the gem. What also makes this variation unique is the different trade names the various colors are given, though they’re only used within the gem store subculture market. They’re also called “grossularite.”

Not all versions of the grossular are used in gemstone making. Most commonly, it’s the tsavorite that is used.

Andradite

Known as the most lustrous variation of the garnet family, the andradite is normally opaque and isn’t good for gemstone usage. There is a form of it that can be used for gemstone work, but it’s very rare to find and therefore, is highly valued. Andradite, as a word, isn’t used in the gem market subculture; it’s used for the name of the mineral.

Demantoids, a subcategory of andradite, saw a short rise in popularity during the 19th century, but this didn’t last because it wasn’t readily available all the time. It also has a low hardness.

Uvarovite

Ending with the least common version, the uvarovite is almost never used as a gem. This is because the minerals form very small crystals. Unlike the others, this one only comes in one color – green. A popular deposit found in a Russia, the uvarovite has an amazing sparkle that resonates with its deep green tone. They’re sometimes polished, which help to emphasize their refractive qualities. It is very rare for them to create crystals large enough to be used for gemstone work and therefore, are only held by the most dedicated of collectors.

When they are used in jewelry, they’re normally put into rings and pendants.

The Month of Fire and Heart

It’s no surprise as to why it is known to some as “living fire.” Fire is a word we symbolize with so many meanings. We associate it with warmth, the heart, passion, and love. Also known as “the stone of health,” the garnet is a poetic way of starting the year. Those of you who were born under the month of January should be proud!