Garnet is the birthstone for people born in January, and it is supposed to contain powers that will facilitate your night vision and help you achieve success. It is also the traditional stone that symbolizes the second marriage anniversary.
In the past, some archaeologists have found different types of garnet jewelry in lake dweller graves. According to them, garnet was a popular form of jewelry in the Bronze Age. Today, you can find garnet mines in India, Brazil, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Siberia and Africa.
Not all the garnets are high quality gems, but the ones that are of high quality are more than just priceless. You buy a garnet ring once, it is for life! They are available in a broad spectrum of colors, except in blue. You will find a vibrant orange garnet ring, lime green garnet ear rings, pink garnet in affordable jewelry, and even shades of violet.
Garnet consists of certain minerals like Pyralspites (aluminum), Ugrandites (calcium), Pyrope, Uvarovite, Almandine, Andradite, etc. Apart from pure varieties of garnets, there are some mixed varieties like malaia, malaya, and grandite. Another type of garnet comes in a purple hue, and it is called rhodolite. As far as the color of garnet is concerned, there is a special type of garnet called the Spessartite garnet.
Spessartite garnet is ideochromatic, which means that it gets its color from magnesium. Magnesium produces the vibrant orange in garnets, which has become irresistible and popular. Now if you mix some iron in the form of almadine, then the garnet will produce a deeper red color, more like red wine, and is as intoxicating. Did you know that the garnet actually got its name from the Latin word granatum, meaning grain?
Garnets are available in two different forms: igneous and metamorphosed rock formations. These rocks are formed due to intense heat, like the ones produced by volcanoes. Garnets hold a strong reputation for being tough, and they are used as gemstones and also in the abrasive industry. It is an excellent substitute for mineral slag and sand in blast cleaning treatments.
One of the new types of garnets is the Spessarite garnet. Most Spessartite garnets are available in three different categories. The light colored garnets and bright ones with deep orange or red colors come from Nigeria. There is the spectacular tangerine orange, or mandarin garnets, which come from Namibia, and they are a class by themselves. The Spessartite garnet has a deep red color, but it will look its best in incandescent light.
So if you are planning to buy one, then check it under the incandescent light. The garnet is quite a strong stone and measures 6.5 to 7.5 on Moh’s scale, which means that it can stand the test of time, just like your love. When you gift a garnet, it becomes symbolic of your love and devotion for that person.
