17 Diverting Facts On Glorious Garnets
1. Whilst we are generally familiar with the traditional red garnet, did you know that garnets actually come in a huge variety of colours? Almost all colours are represented with garnets available in purples and pinks through to yellow and greens.
2. The reason there is such a wide spectrum of colours is that garnets arent just a single type of crystal structure but actually a group of minerals that have similar structures. The most commonly found are pyrope and almandine (both of which tend toward purples and orange-reds), spessartine (oranges and yellows), grossularite (clear/white to yellow, reds and greens) and andradite (mostly yellows and yellow-greens).
3. These minerals can also be found combined in a variety of amalgams creating even more colours and shades, so there really is a garnet for everyone.
18ct white and rose gold diamond and garnet ring from the Artistry of Biagio Collection, £5,869
4. Such infinite variety mean gemologists often have a particular fondness for garnets, not just for the thrill of trying to identify the various mixtures, but also for the sometimes dramatic horsetail inclusions found in some types of garnets
5. Rarest of all are uvarovite garnets which are not commonly found in crystals sizeable enough to be cut into jewels, so are naturally highly valued. It is found associated with chromium ores in Spain, Russia, and Quebec in Canada, but also occurs in Finland, Iran, Norway, and South Africa.
9ct multi gem necklet, £494
6. In general inclusions are considered flaws in gemstones and serve to de-value a stone. Red-pink garnets like pyrope and rhodolite are usually eye-clean so stones with inclusions should be avoided, but green demantoid garnets are sometimes found with splendid horsetail inclusions and, unusually, this makes them highly coveted.
7. Andradite garnets have such high dispersion that they display more fire than diamonds when well cut.
8. Being the most well-known, red garnets have an abundance of history and lore around them. We know that they were favoured by the pharaohs of Egypt and the ancient Greeks, as well as being worn by nobles throughout the middle ages as carved signet rings used to stamp the wax seal on documents. Deep red garnets were extremely popular with the Victorians.
Garnet hoop earrings by Claudia Bradby, £102
9. Red garnets were thought to help clear inflammation and are held as symbols of love and eternity.
10. Garnets are said to hail a speedy reunion, making them the perfect gift to give loved ones embarking on a journey or prior to time spent apart.
11. Originally mined mostly in Russia and Bohemia, but most garnets now come from Tanzania and Namibia, but they are also found in as far-flung locations as Brazil and Sri Lanka.
9ct rose gold and garnet ring, £415
12. Red garnets tend to be cut into more standard styles for ease of setting, particularly expensive stones will generally be cut to retain as much of the stone as possible and demantoid garnets should be cut to enhance their fire.
13. Some types of garnet like demantoid and tsavorite tend to be found in smaller crystals, so larger specimens are more valuable, but garnets such as almandine are frequently found in large crystals, therefore size has little bearing on value.
14. Garnet is the birthstone for January and is associated with the 2nd anniversaries.
Garnet cross, £75
15. The name garnet comes from the Middle English gernet which means dark red. In turn the word gernet derives from the Latin garantus which means seedlike and is thought to describe a pomegranate.
16. Due to differences in the crystalline structure of the various types of garnet, hardness and durability can vary on the Mohs scale, but most are between 6.5 and 7.5 Mohs. Whilst they arent quite as hard as sapphires or rubies it would still take some force to scratch them.
17. Avoid using harsh chemicals to keep a garnet clean and simply by bathe it in warm, soapy water, using a soft brush to wipe clean the facets.
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