The gorgeous and varied garnet is a lucky birthstone for those who were born in January. Although red is the most prevalent color of garnets, they also come in a stunning array of other hues, such as orange, yellow, purple, and vivid green. Even garnets have been known to shift from blue to purple depending on the illumination. The ability of the garnet birthstone to bestow the bearer with good health, riches, and happiness is seen by some to be its genuine value.
In This Article...
Why is garnet the January birthstone?
Although garnet, a gemstone that comes in a wide spectrum of hues, is most frequently associated with the color crimson, pink, green, orange, and purple variations are also becoming more and more popular. The birthstone for January was believed to ward against poisons, wounds, and evil nightmares as well as treat depression throughout the Middle Ages.
January is what kind of garnet?
Garnets are frequently thought of as red gems. Garnets actually come in a variety of hues. They originate from all across the world, and since the Bronze Age, people have used them as jewelry. Nowadays, most garnets are not stones of gem quality. Instead, they are largely employed as abrasives in industry. To create beautiful jewels, only rocks with the ideal size, color, and clarity are cut.
The Latin word granatus, which means seed, gave rise to the name garnet. Small garnet crystals resemble the crimson seeds of the pomegranate, therefore this could be a reference to that fruit.
For every day in 2022, view the moon’s phase. Lunar calendars from EarthSky are now available! Speeding up! Do so right now.
Characteristics of the January birthstone, garnet
A set of silicate minerals with slightly varied chemical makes up garnets. Garnet crystals may include different concentrations of calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, aluminum, and chromium depending on the environment in which they developed. Due to these variations, garnets are found in a variety of hues, opacities, and hardnesses that range from 6.0 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
The majority of garnets are created during metamorphosis, which is the structural alteration of sedimentary rocks like shale under extreme heat and pressure. These circumstances exist where tectonic plates converge. Under these circumstances, minerals recrystallize into structures that are more tolerant of the high pressure and temperature present. Some turn into garnets. Garnets can also be found, though to a lower level, in igneous rocks like granite.
Garnets are hard, so even when weather erodes the metamorphic and igneous rocks they crystallized in, they largely maintain their shape. They end up as sediment, which eventually turns into soil, sand, or sedimentary rock. These formations provide garnets to miners since it is simpler to remove the crystals. Australia provides about half of the global supply. India, China, and the United States are further important sources.
Garnets come in many colors
Due to the presence of specific elements, garnets can have various colors. Almandine crystals are dark red, brownish-red, and black because it contains iron and aluminum. Because of magnesium and aluminum, pyrope garnets are red. Manganese and aluminum give spessartine its orange hue. Calcium and aluminum are present in grossular, which results in primarily green crystals as well as red, yellow, and cinnamon-brown ones. Due to calcium and iron, andradite garnets are red, yellow, brown, and green in color. Bright green gems are produced by the unusual calcium chromium garnet type known as uvarovite.
From completely opaque to translucent, garnets can fluctuate in opacity. Some garnets have inclusions, which are microscopic fragments of other rocks that reflect light to give the stone a star-like pattern. Under various lighting situations, inclusions can also make the gemstone appear to shift colors.
Garnets in history
Since the Bronze Age, people have used garnets. Jewelry made of red garnet and dating to 3100 BCE was found by archaeologists in the graves of Egyptian pharaohs.
The jewels were esteemed by both ancient Greeks and Romans. They wore garnet jewelry, such as signet rings with cut garnets for sealing documents with wax.
2009 saw the discovery of a sizable collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork in Staffordshire, England, thanks to the use of a metal detector. The objects, which go by the name Staffordshire hoard, are from the sixth and seventh centuries. 3,500 pieces of jewelry set with garnets are among them.
The discovery of garnet reserves in Bohemia (in the modern-day Czech Republic) at the beginning of the 16th century ignited a thriving garnet jewelry industry in Europe. Through the Victorian era, the gemstone was still in demand, but by the turn of the 20th century, demand had decreased.
Mythology behind the January birthstone
Garnets and other red gemstones like rubies and spinels are heavily entwined throughout early history and mythology. These crimson gems, known as carbuncles, were difficult for early jewelers to differentiate from one another.
Numerous urban legends surround garnets. Garnets were thought to bring victory by early warriors. They served as the Crusaders’ traveling defense against injuries and mishaps. Ancient Asian warriors, however, thought that burning garnet bullets caused more serious wounds. The Hanza tribesmen used garnet bullets instead of lead ones to attack British forces in 1892 during fighting along the Kashmir border because they thought they were more potent.
Like many costly stones, garnets were once thought to have therapeutic properties. People once believed that garnets could cure depression and protected the wearer from wounds, poisons, and unpleasant nightmares. They treated fever with red garnets and jaundice with yellow garnets.
Learn about the birthstones for other months of the year:
The garnet is the birthstone for January. Garnets come in a variety of colors, however red is the most common. These include yellow, green, orange, brown, and black.
Is Aquarius amethyst or garnet?
The eleventh sign of the zodiac is Aquarius. Garnet and amethyst are the primary birthstones for Aquarius. The stone of strength, garnet, is red. Purple amethyst is known as the stone of tranquility.
What does the stone garnet represent?
Garnets have long been seen as symbols of love because to their connections to the heart, blood, inner fire, and life force. The friendship meaning of garnet is also present. These relationships are surprisingly evil, though.
In Greek mythology, Hades, the deity of the Underworld, abducted Persephone, the goddess of plants. If she didn’t consume any food in that domain, she would only be able to return to the surface world. She had to spend those many months of the year in the Underworld because she consumed some pomegranate seeds, which causes the winter months.
Garnet has evolved to symbolize the safe return of a friend or loved one because of its link with pomegranate seeds. Garnets were frequently traded between friends as a sign that they would re-connect and were believed to safeguard travelers on their voyages. (However, in the myth, Persephone is forced to go back to Hades by the pomegranate seeds.)
Is garnet a valuable gemstone?
A semi-precious gemstone that comes in a variety of colors is garnet stone. The best-known quality of this January birthstone is that it has healing powers.
Is garnet a stone of luck?
People who deal with lotteries, the stock market, real estate, exports, imports, and speculative ventures are said to benefit from the lucky charm of grossular garnet.
This stone is distinguished by having the appearance of powdered sugar in honey and the color of cow’s urine. The garnet is also known as the “Hessonite cinnamon stone” since it was frequently imported from Sri Lanka, which was referred to as the “Land of Spices.”
Garnet is the stone associated with Rahu, the leader of the Asura (demonic) forces, according to Indian astrology. As a result, garnet is the best stone to wear if you want to attract luck while also balancing Rahu’s negative impacts.
Are garnets costly?
Prices for garnet stones can vary significantly because they come in such a wide range of colors. They typically cost between $500 and $7000 per carat for larger, flawless stones, depending on the presence of imperfections. Demantoid is the most expensive garnet, with a price that is towards the top of the range.
Is Ruby the birthstone for January?
The traditional and contemporary birthstone for January is garnet. Even though garnets are a mixture of many mineral species with many similarities, January is most often associated with the deep red form. On the other hand, garnets come in a variety of colors, including deep red, dark pink/purple, yellow, orange, and numerous hues of green. Even a very rare blue garnet could be discovered.
Popularly, garnets stand for friendship and trust. This gem has historically been thought to offer protection to travelers. A garnet is a great stone for jewelry meant for everyday wear because of its toughness.