Garnet: The January Birthstone
Looking for the perfect gift for someone born in January, garnets are sure to please that special someone. January babies have a beautiful birthstone called garnet that makes a great gift for any occasion. The most popular color for garnets are red, but they come in an array of different colors. They can be found in yellow, orange, purple, and green to name a few. Additionally, there are even garnets that change their color from blue to purple depending on the lighting.
What is a Garnet?
Garnets are actually a group of minerals. Five of these minerals are pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular, and andradite. Almandine and pyrope come in colors from purple to red. Spessartine can be found in oranges and yellows whereas andradite usually ranges from yellow to green. Grossular can come in many colors ranging from colorless, to yellow to orange to red, in addition to a bright green known as tsavorite. Garnets can be found in all sizes. Demantoid and tsavorite garnets are typically found in smaller sizes. Because of this, their value increases a significant amount as their size increases. Other garnet types like almandine are typically larger stones, so there is no huge value increase with their size.
Where do they come from?
Garnets can be traced back to the Nile Delta in the year 3100 B.C. Egyptian artisans crafted the gemstones into beads and laid them into hand-made jewelry. Bohemia was the main source of the red pyrope garnets that were extremely popular during Victrian times. Green demantoid garnets from the Ural Mountains in the 19th century could be found in Russia and were very important to the Russian royal family. Russian royalty was not the only civilization that used garnets. Pharaohs from Ancient Egypt studded red garnets in their necklaces. Today’s main source of garnets is the continent of Africa. Namibia produces demantoids and the majority of the world’s brilliant green tsavorites come from Kenya, Tanzania, and Madagascar. Orange to yellow spessartine garnets ranging can also be found in Tanzania.
Cleaning the gem with a soft brush and warm soapy water is a great safe way to clean your birthstone. Garnet Jewelry is a wonderful birthstone gift, Valentine's gift, and graduation gift! Shop Garnet Rings, Earrings, Bracelets, and Pendant Necklaces in store with us! So if garnet sounds like the perfect gift for your loved one, come to Malak Jewelers in the Arboretum shopping center. We have a beautiful array of garnet jewelry in store that is sure to make your special someone’s day even more special!
What is a Garnet?
Garnets are actually a group of minerals. Five of these minerals are pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular, and andradite. Almandine and pyrope come in colors from purple to red. Spessartine can be found in oranges and yellows whereas andradite usually ranges from yellow to green. Grossular can come in many colors ranging from colorless, to yellow to orange to red, in addition to a bright green known as tsavorite. Garnets can be found in all sizes. Demantoid and tsavorite garnets are typically found in smaller sizes. Because of this, their value increases a significant amount as their size increases. Other garnet types like almandine are typically larger stones, so there is no huge value increase with their size.
Where do they come from?
Garnets can be traced back to the Nile Delta in the year 3100 B.C. Egyptian artisans crafted the gemstones into beads and laid them into hand-made jewelry. Bohemia was the main source of the red pyrope garnets that were extremely popular during Victrian times. Green demantoid garnets from the Ural Mountains in the 19th century could be found in Russia and were very important to the Russian royal family. Russian royalty was not the only civilization that used garnets. Pharaohs from Ancient Egypt studded red garnets in their necklaces. Today’s main source of garnets is the continent of Africa. Namibia produces demantoids and the majority of the world’s brilliant green tsavorites come from Kenya, Tanzania, and Madagascar. Orange to yellow spessartine garnets ranging can also be found in Tanzania.
Cleaning the gem with a soft brush and warm soapy water is a great safe way to clean your birthstone. Garnet Jewelry is a wonderful birthstone gift, Valentine's gift, and graduation gift! Shop Garnet Rings, Earrings, Bracelets, and Pendant Necklaces in store with us! So if garnet sounds like the perfect gift for your loved one, come to Malak Jewelers in the Arboretum shopping center. We have a beautiful array of garnet jewelry in store that is sure to make your special someone’s day even more special!