The beautiful coloured gemstone garnets and garnet jewellery
Garnet is the name of a group of minerals that exist in a rainbow of colours, from the vivid orange Mandarin Spessartite Garnet to the vibrant green of Tsavorites. Some rare garnets are even blue, colourless, or - most rare of all - change colour in different lights. But the most common garnet colour is red, ranging from rust coloured to deep violet red. It’s a durable gemstone, so garnet jewellery is a great choice!
The name “garnet” name comes from the Latin word “granatus”, meaning “seeds”. Clusters of garnet crystals resemble the red seeds inside a pomegranate.
The garnet is a very durable gemstone found all over the world and garnet jewellery is very popular.
My garnet pieces
How to judge the quality of a Garnet
As with Diamonds, all gemstones are rated by the 4 C’s:
Colour (The more vivid and intense the colour saturation, the better.)
Clarity (Garnets do not need to be flawless to be considered top grade, as they are classed as a Type 2 gemstone by the GIA and as such, are grouped amongst stones regarded as "usually included". This means that because of Garnet’s geology, the majority of stones have some inclusions. Unlike Tanzanite, which is a Type 1 gem, it is not essential that it is loupe-clean.
Carat Weight (Certain Garnets, like Tsavorite, are very rare above 3 carats.)
Cut (Maximising symmetry and light reflection, to get the best looking gemstone out of the rough stone.)
All except one of my Garnets come with GIA Gem Reports.
Here’s a Tsavorite garnet color chart showing the optimum range of colours:
My Garnet jewellery
I have the full history of all but one of my Garnet gemstones, including:
the day it was discovered
the exact location
a photo of the stone before cutting
a mining report
a GIA gem report
a photo of the laser identifying inscription on the stone
Additionally, I supply an Insurance valuation of the finished piece of jewellery.
So, when you buy a piece of Garnet jewellery from me, along with your beautiful piece of jewellery, you also own the fascinating history of your beautiful gemstone!
Caring for garnet jewellery
Garnets have a hardness of 7-7.5 on the Mohs Scale (similar to Emerald), Gems with a hardness of 6-7 or greater are quite suitable for rings which are worn occasionally. For a ring like a wedding or engagement ring, intended for everyday wear over a period of years, a hardness rating of 8-10 is recommended. Warm, soapy water is the best method for cleaning garnets. Ultrasonic cleaners are considered safe, but are still not recommended. Steamers should be avoided, as well as any harsh household chemicals and cleaners, including bleach or hydrofluoric acid, as chemicals can cause corrosion.
Garnet’s history and beliefs
Garnets began “life” many millions of years ago with a process called metamorphism. As magma pushed its way up through the existing rock the contact between the invading magma and the older rock caused a change to occur. The intense heat made the nearby minerals recrystallise into minerals stable at the higher temperature.
The word “garnet” comes from the 14th century Middle English word gernet, meaning “dark red.” The word is derived from Latin granatum, which means “seed,” and is called so because of the gemstone’s resemblance to the beautifully red seeds of the pomegranate.
The folklore on Garnet is extensive. Legend has it that the garnet can bring peace, prosperity, and good health to the home. Some even called it the “Gem of Faith,” and it’s believed that to those who wear it and do good, more good will come. (Conversely, it was also said to bring very bad fortune to those who commit bad acts while wearing it.) The garnet also symbolises deep and lasting friendship.
It is the birthstone for January and also used to celebrate 2nd and 18th Wedding Anniversaries!