January Birthstone - Garnet
Whether you were born in January and are lucky to have the beautiful and diverse Garnet as your birthstone, or know someone who is, it can be a stunning addition to anyone's jewelry box! This vibrant gemstone has a long history, going back thousands of years ago to ancient Egypt, when Pharaohs could be found donning necklaces featuring Garnets. Meanwhile, in Rome, important documents were being sealed with signet rings adorned in carved Garnets. Still popular today, you can find many gorgeous Garnet pieces in Stall & Kessler's, such as this unique ring with an elongated cushion shape Garnet surrounded in a halo of round brilliant cut Diamonds!
The Name
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Garnets are named after the Latin word for Pomegranate, “gratatus”. It's easy to understand why after seeing Garnet in its raw form, surrounded by the 'pithy' looking white rock around each 'aril' of Garnet.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALAMY - VIA NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM
The Color
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While Garnets are most commonly found in shades of red, the gemstone naturally occurs in a wide array of colors, including orange, yellow, purple and vibrant green. There are even garnets that change color from blue to purple in different lighting!
ALMANDINE IMAGE – DIDIER DESCOUENS, CC BY-SA 4.0, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, PYROPE IMAGE – GOOBOAD / SHUTTERSTOCK, SPESSARTINE IMAGE – JAMES ST. JOHN, CC BY 2.0, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, GROSSULAR IMAGE – BOADBIGBEAR / CANVA, ANDRADITE IMAGE – STELLAR-SERBIA / CANVA, UVAROVITE IMAGE – COLDMOON_PHOTO / CANVA - VIA DIAMONDBUZZ.BLOG
Durability
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Garnets range from 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, depending on the subcategory. That means they are softer than Sapphires, Rubies, & Diamonds, but harder than Opals, Jade, & Turquoise. While they are often worn in all types of jewelry, Garnets are ideal for earrings, brooches, and necklaces where they are a little bit more protected from the daily elements.
Care
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Ultrasonic cleaners are generally a safe way to clean your jewelry containing Garnets, the exception being stones which are fractured. If you do not have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, warm soapy water is a safe option, as well. You may use a soft bristled toothbrush for especially grimy stones.
Some believe the Garnets has power to bring the wearer good health, wealth, and happiness. Whether that's true or not, this stone is not one to take for pomegranate!
- Karianna (on Behalf of Your Stall & Kessler’s Team)