Oh hey January babies…I see you over there with your post Christmas and New Year hangover feeling invisible. To add insult to injury you have seen your birthstone for the last…no more than 21 years for anyone…as a maroon garnet. A little disappointing; we should start the year with a precious gemstone you say, start the year with diamonds?!? As Lee Corso would say “Not so fast my friend!” Garnets are so much more than the reddish semi-precious gemstone you have been looking at!
Why Garnet to start the year you ask? Garnet has been used as far back as the Bronze Age, 3500 B.C.E., and by the Egyptians in jewelry. It’s name is a Latin derivative that translates to seed and is thought to represent the pomegranate seed. Throughout history the pomegranate seed has been a meaningful symbol. The Greeks believed it was the fruit of life and rebirth as described in the story of Persephone’s rebirth by Hades. For early Middle Eastern societies the pomegranate symbolized the soul’s immortality and the perfection of nature (Zoroastrians.) It became a powerful symbol in the Jewish faith, the pomegranate has 613 seed which symbolizes the 613 scriptures of the Torah. It also has important symbolism for Buddhists, Christians and Muslims but this blog is not about the symbolism of the pomegranate it is about the Garnet, that was named after the ever important pomegranate. In all of these civilizations and religions Garnet was worn as a symbol of life, a talisman for protection to warriors and to ward off plague, for its healing properties, safety during travel. Garnet eliminates negative thoughts and wards off depression, instills confidence in it’s wearer and creates clarity to induce creative thinking. What I am getting at is the Garnet has been lauded through the millennia and is a pretty important gemstone to kick off each new year.
But Garnet is so much more than a red gemstone. Garnet encompasses a group of several minerals including pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular, and andradite. Pyrope Garnet is a deep red-purple hue while spessartine is a gorgeous oranges and yellows. Andradite is an incredible green that we call Demantoid Garnet and Grossular spans the rainbow and includes a deep green we call Tsavorite.
I would be honored to help you choose the perfect Garnet for your favorite January birthday or even to help you choose a garnet for its powerful properties that have been celebrated throughout history.