As adopted by the American Gem Trade Association in 1912, Garnet is the birthstone that best represents the month of January.Often remembered for its deep red crystals, garnet was thought to signify passion and love and would attract sensual energies. Also known as the stone of commitment, garnet is said to have the ability to make married couples loyal to each other and discourage infidelity. Garnet is believed to symbolize a strong relationship, full of love, devotion and intimacy. This gemstone commends the 2nd wedding anniversary.
Garnet actually covers a related group of minerals which include almandine, spessartite, pyrope, grossular, uvarovite, and andradite. The gemstone occurs in almost every color, but blue is the rarest. Red garnets, the most common in nature, may come from different species and the red shades will depend upon the mineral properties contained within. Almandine and pyrope are the well-known species of red garnets.
In terms of durability, garnet has a desirable hardness of 6.5-7.5 in the Mohs scale. Such rating makes the gemstone a perfect subject for jewelry setting. Garnet isn’t just being used by jewelers but for industrial purposes too in the form of abrasives and a great alternative for silica sand for sand blasting.Whether it’s a necklace, a pair of earrings, a ring, or a bracelet embellished with a garnet, it becomes a perfect accessory that you can wear on a daily basis. Almost all garnets require no treatment for they are naturally beautiful gems with a whole lot more color choices than you could ever imagine.