Garnet, a deep wine colored semi-precious stone, is the birthstone for January. Garnet is a symbol of courage and compassion and is linked with harmonizing energy, stimulating sexual desire, and unleashing the imagination.
Color:
Although the garnet is commonly found in reddish-brown hues, it also comes in pink, purple, yellow, orange, violet, green, colorless, black and brown. Green tsavorite garnets are rare and valuable.
Source:
Primarily it comes from the Czech Republic, Africa, and Spain. Deposits exist all over the world, though, including Australia, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Russia, Myanmar, Canada and US.
Age: The use of garnet goes all the way to the Bronze Age. Artisans of the Egyptian Nile around 3100 BCE made jewelry with it.
Family:
Garnets are classified into different groups according to their chemical compositions, which include Pyrope, Andradite, Spessartine, Glossularite, Uvarovite, and a few other less common groups.
Hardness: 6.5-7.5 on the Mohs scale
Gemstone Properties/Healing Properties:
The passionate garnet is linked with harmonizing energy, stimulating sexual desire, bringing courage, and unleashing the imagination. Symbolically it taps into courage, fire, compassion, and constancy of purpose. It’s also said to protect travelers. Health-wise, it assists with blood diseases, relieves arthritic pain, reduces lethargy, and promotes overall good health.
Fun Facts/Stories:
Garnets supposedly reminded Ancient Greeks of pomegranates, and hence, the name garnet (from granatum).
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