3 Important Facts About January’s Birthstone, The Garnet

3 Important Facts About January’s Birthstone, the Garnet

January– Birthstone Garnet

By her who in this month is born
No gem save garnets should be worn;
The will ensure her constancy,
True friendship and fidelity.

Unknown Tiffany&Co.
Pamphlet
1870.

The Red Garnet

The red garnet for all you Capricornians, is thought to signify eternal friendship and trust and the word garnet is derived from the word granatum meaning seed. It is called so because of the garnet’s resemblance to a shiny red pomegranate seed.

The Garnet Is Not Only A Birthstone.

The garnet is not only a birthstone, they are also used as a wedding anniversary gemstone and can be given as a
second year anniversary gift
They are very bohemian. The historical region of Bohemia, in central Europe (now located in the Czech Republic) was an early source of garnets of the highest quality. Now, in the county’s capital Prague, you can visit the Magic Garnet museum, which features a large collection of historical and contemporary garnet jewellery.

Garnets Are Good For Your Health.

The third of our three important and interesting facts claims that garnets are good for your health. Garnets are thought to have healing properties credited with improving every sort of ill health from heart palpitations to heart disease. They are also thought to offer protection against injury or death
Soldiers throughout the ages have carried garnets onto the battle field to protect them from their enemies.

Garnets are a group of what is known as silicate minerals (a group of minerals containing ratios of silicon and oxygen) and have been used as gemstones since ancient Egypt.
Red garnets were the most commonly used gemstones in the Late Antique Roman world in the Western Roman Empire (although they occurred then and now in a variety of other colours).
Garnets were especially used inlaid in gold cells in the Cloisonné technique. An ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects using vitreous enamel in recent centuries and cut gemstones, glass and other gemstones in older periods. The resulting product is known as a garnet cloisonné.
As mentioned, the use of garnets in jewellery dates back to 3100 B.C, when the Egyptians used them as inlays in their own jewellery.
It’s most fruitful and important sources are Africa, Sri Lanka and India and they are obtained by mining.