Garnets
Garnets are a group of neosilicates with chemical elements containing calcium, magnesium and iron. However it can also include chromium, manganese and titanium. They are crystal forms which come either translucent or transparent. Garnets are extremely beautiful and attractive gemstones. They have been known to man since the dawn of time and even written about in the Old Testament.
Garnets come in many different colors, but are most well known for their dark, rich red stones. Other colors that garnets can be found in are green, orange, yellow, brown, smoke, violet, purple, etc. The only color that garnets do not come in is blue. Garnets can be crystal in form or very grainy. The word Garnets comes from the Latin word granatus which means grain. Garnets are usually used as ornamental jewelry, however in its grain form; it can make quite a good abrasive. Garnets have a hardness of 7.5 or 8 on the Moh’s hardness scale and make excellent pieces of jewelry.
Most Garnet stones have very stable color which will last for generations as long as they don’t come into contact with intense heat or radiation. Garnets are very affordable, but can be very pricey if they are special hues such as deep, rich reds. Because Garnets have been around for thousands of years, many stones are sold as antiques already set in beautiful Victorian or older antique style jewelry.
There is plenty of Garnets available for commercial sale as well and they come in many different colors. One of the colors that have been growing in popularity in recent years is green. Garnets are found in many regions of the world, but primarily in Eastern Africa, India and certain parts of Europe. Garnets are a very popular mineral that has been known to man for thousands of years. Garnets are mostly known as a beautiful warm, red stone that can have translucent crystals or be grainy in appearance. Garnets have a long history and were even written about in the Old Testament as Noah Ark’s lantern. The Garnet come is a myriad of colors including red, green, violet, yellow, and earthy colors such as cinnamon. The only color that a garnet is not available in is blue.
One of the reasons Garnets are held in high esteem is the way that they shine and give off light. This is due to their refractive properties. The Garnet gemstone is a great stone to make ornamental jewelry with. It has a hardness score of 7.5 to 8 on the Moh’s scale and can be crafted into almost any shape. They are generally stable and will keep their color for generations as long as they don’t come into contact with intense heat or radiation.
Garnets are found in all regions of the world; however Africa, South America and Europe are key places to find these beautiful stones. The word Garnet comes from Latin meaning granatus or grain. Some Garnets are very grainy and similar to pomegranate seeds. During ancient times, garnets were used as protection from evil and sailors also used them to stay safe when at sea. Emperors from Rome to Egypt found them fascinating and lots of jewelry pieces were created from these beautiful stones. Today they are given as gifts for birthdays, most notably for birthdays that fall in January.
