The Gemstone Diaries: Garnet

Happy new year, and happy month of the garnet! This beautiful gem, known for its deep red hue, finds its roots from granatum, the Latin word for seed, a distinction most likely linked to the ruby redness of pomegranate! As it starts off each year, the garnet is special and if you’re a January baby, you might find this blog post insightful to the gem that represents you! 

Shades of Garnets
While garnets are most commonly red, they can also come in green, blue, yellow, and orange as well. Green is actually the most rare color that garnets are found in, and are the most expensive. The shades of red on the garnet can also vary in darker or lighter hues, with the darker ones also being pricier, so be on the lookout when you’re picking out a garnet for your new necklace or bracelet! These colors can further be distinguished into the categories of Almandine, Andradite, Grossular, Pyrope, Spessartite, and Uvarovite.

Styling Garnets
Due to the intensity of its red hue, truly, the best base color for the rest of your jewelry piece (be it the chain of your necklace or band of your ring) really is gold. It’s giving royal, vintage, and just the most classy vibes ever! Because of this, we recommend that you pair your garnets with warmer tones on your clothes, such as brown, creams, or even more reds!

How Tough Is it?
Not only is the garnet bold in appearance, but it can hold its own. With a 6.5-7.5 on the Moh’s Hardness Scale, they’re decently sturdy, especially for general wear. However, do make sure to take care of it as you would with any other jewelry piece, and it is recommended that the garnet is washed gently with warm soap and water to keep everything safe and clean.

What Does It All Mean?
Throughout history, garnets have been commonly associated with royals and warriors due to its grandeur. However, its fierce color can also represent love, protection, and even healing. When given as a gift, the garnet is specifically known as a traditional gift for couples’ second wedding anniversary. All in all, the garnet brings a very positive light into the lives of its wearer. 

The garnet is a beautiful, eye-catching piece that can make a great day to day piece or gift. It’s striking red contrasts the coldness that usually comes into the new year, and starts off each new chapter like no other.