Garnet
Garnets are a group of closely related minerals, with the same crystal structure, but with varying physical properties and chemical composition.
Garnets occur in a wide array of colours, ranging in red, green and orange tones and have a multitude of names; almandine, andradite, demantoid,
grossular, hessonite, pyrope, rhodolite, tsavorite, spessartite and uravorite. The diversity of colours is due to combinations of different
elements within each variety, such has calcium, manganese and iron. There are six types of garnet commonly used as a gemstone and with a
hardness of 7 on the Mohs' scale, makes them very durable for use in jewellery.
Depending on the species of garnet, the mineral occurs in a variety of settings from schists and gneisses, to pegmatites and sedimentary
deposits, to name a few. Garnets come from India, Central and South America, Sri Lanka, Russian and African countries.
The name ‘garnet’ comes from the Latin ‘granatus’. When garnet was first found as grains in rock, it was likened to the rich, red seeds
of the pomegranate. Some species of garnet were named according to where they were discovered. For example, tsavorite was named after the T
savor Game Reserve of Kenya. Other garnets have been named after their physical properties. Grossular was named after the gooseberry,
‘grossularia’, rhodolite from the Greek ‘rhodon’ meaning rose, pyrope from the Greek for ‘fire-like’ and demantoid is from demant, meaning
diamond in French, due to the brilliance of the garnet.
Garnets have been used as gemstones throughout history. It was said that Noah used a lantern of garnet to guide his ark in the night.
All red stones were called carbuncles in ancient times and the Koran says that the 4th heaven is composed of a carbuncle. A Greek
myth tells the story of Persephone, the goddess of sunshine, who was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. Persephone was eventually
released by Hades, when he offered her some pomegranate seeds, which made sure she would return to him. It is from this legend that garnet
is the protective gemstone for travellers. A gift of the stone symbolises the desire for a loved one’s safe journey and speedy return home.
Garnets were widely used in jewellery in Egyptian, Greek and Roman times.
Garnet is the birthstone for the month of January and the Capricorn zodiac sign (December 22 to January 21). It is also the traditional
wedding anniversary stone given to celebrate two years of marriage.