The stone for the month of January is beautiful and has an incredible color and a very noble meaning. Garnet has been used since ancient times among the Egyptians, as well as being used by the Mayans and Aztecs, both for its ornamental beauty and for their beliefs.
Related to the heart, it is an excellent gift to give to someone you love. They are stones of loyalty, a symbol of compassion and love, and there are still those who believe that they have an aphrodisiac power.
What are its main features?
Garnet is the general name of the members of a group of silicate minerals, with similar properties, but different chemical composition, that is, the name garnet does not designate one, but a group of gems that comprises several species - the most important are Pyrope , Andradite, Grossular, Spessartine and Almandine.
Crimson tones range from raspberry to blood red; the green tones are equivalent to emeralds, and there are also garnets in shades of yellow, orange and brown. There is even a variety of the stone in black and also colorless. The varied aspects of grenades allow for a suitable use for all possible tastes and budgets.
Its name derives from the Latin grenades, which means “grain”, a reference to the similarity of the color of the stone with the color of the seed of a Punica granatum, better known in Brazil as pomegranate. There is also a correlation with carfunculus, which translates into Portuguese as “stone of light” – this is because some ancient legends claim that a large grenade illuminated Noah's Ark.
How to choose the most suitable grenade?
When the engagement ring is the option chosen at the time of the order, there are several models that can be given as a gift.
Garnet is not a traditional color for engagement rings, but they should not be dismissed as they have numerous benefits. Being a rich color, they are suitable for a woman who likes originality.
Garnets possess a timeless beauty that has been around for thousands of years. While physical properties can vary, overall, all faceted varieties produce durable jewelry stones.
For larger sized grenades, color and transparency are of the utmost importance. Inclusions, tiny internal crystals and fractures should not be visible to the naked eye or interfere with the beauty of the stone. For smaller stones, the cut is most important. In general, choose a garnet with rich colors.
Red garnets are relatively affordable, so invest in a high quality stone with a good cut. The redder it is, the more valuable a garnet is. However, pink garnets also make beautiful ring stones.
For orange garnets, the more orange-red, the more valuable. The lighter orange stones have a deeply saturated, “intense”, orange or pumpkin color. Cinnamon or amber colors usually cost less.
Green garnets that approach a rich emerald green will cost more, while yellowish and greenish stones will cost less, as will gemstones with very light or very dark tones.
Some garnets can also exhibit some unusual optical effects, such as color change and asterism – the “starstone” effect, which is the appearance of an apparent 4- or 6-ray star on the surface of the gem. If properly cut and placed, these gemstones can make very vivid engagement ring stones.
Red garnets tend to have a more vintage feel. But jewelers prefer orange and green garnets. In high fashion collections you will often see solitaires with a vivid garnet and luxurious jewelry pieces accented with green garnets.
The yellow gold enhances the orange or brown tones of the red garnets and creates a regal and antique look.
White gold makes the color of the stone stand out in contrast.
Rose gold can give red garnet a modern, more up-to-date appeal, adding warmth to the ring.
Jewelers often set orange garnets in yellow gold, which increase the stone's warmth, while green garnets are often set in white gold to give the jewelry a clean, fresh appearance.
Want to know more about this gem? Read our post The precious stones of Brazil: Granada – Minas Gerais and Tocantins and visit our shop to discover our beautiful collection of stone pieces.
A comment
I have several grenades I found by chance I am very pleased with this find.