Garnet: January’s Birthstone & a Gemstone with a Remarkable History

The very first gemstone in the calendar is the garnet — and what a beautiful consolation prize for those celebrating their birthdays during wet, windy, and wild January.

The name garnet comes from the Latin granatus, derived from granum, meaning grain or seed. This is widely believed to reference the gemstone’s resemblance to pomegranate seeds, with their vivid, glowing red colour. While deep red is the shade most commonly associated with garnet, this gem group actually occurs in nearly every colour, giving it the widest colour range of any gemstone.

One of the most remarkable discoveries in recent gemological history is the rare blue garnet, identified in the late 1990s in Madagascar. This variety is exceptionally scarce and prized for its unique colour-change properties.

Garnet Through History

Thanks to its durability, beauty, and symbolism, garnet has been treasured for thousands of years. Antique and vintage garnet jewellery is abundant, and the gemstone remains equally relevant in contemporary design.

The Romans were particularly fond of garnets, wearing them in rings and using them as trade goods. Long before that, garnets adorned the jewellery of Ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Centuries later, garnet mining became the foundation of a thriving cottage industry in Bohemia, where the stone gained immense popularity throughout Europe.

A striking historical example is the Sarmatian gold diadem, set with garnet (almandine), pearls, and turquoise, dating from the 1st century AD and now housed at the Hermitage Museum.

If garnet’s long and illustrious past has sparked your interest, read on to discover what makes this gemstone such a compelling choice today.

Garnet Fact File: A Buyer’s Guide

Garnet Gemological Properties

Garnets belong to a group of silicate minerals that share similar crystal structures and physical properties but differ in chemical composition.

• Chemical composition: Isomorphous series

• Crystal habit: Cubic or rhombic dodecahedron

• Crystal system: Cubic

• Hardness: 6.5 – 7.5 (Mohs scale)

• Refractive index: 1.74 – 1.89

• Cleavage: None

• Transparency: Translucent to opaque

Garnet Species & Sources

Garnets are mined on every continent and are used both as gemstones and industrial abrasives. You’ll find them in locations ranging from Canada to Kenya — and, of course, Brazil, one of our key sourcing regions.

More than twenty garnet varieties exist, but six main species are commonly used in jewellery:

• Pyrope

• Almandine

• Spessartite

• Grossular

• Andradite

• Uvarovite

Garnet Varieties & Their Origins

• Pyrope: China, Madagascar, Myanmar, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, USA

• Rhodolite (Pyrope): Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, USA

• Almandine: Brazil, India, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, USA

• Spessartite: Brazil, China, Kenya, Madagascar, Myanmar, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, USA

• Grossular (Hydrogrossular): Myanmar, South Africa, Zambia

• Grossular (Hessonite): Brazil, Canada, Madagascar, India, Tanzania, USA

• Grossular (Tsavorite): Kenya, Tanzania

• Andradite (Demantoid): Russia, China, Korea, USA, Zaire

• Andradite (Melanite): France, Germany, Italy, USA

• Uvarovite: Canada, Finland, India, Poland, Russia, USA

Defining Garnet Value: The Four Cs

As with all fine gemstones, garnet value is determined by the Four Cs:

Cut

Garnets are extremely versatile and can be found in almost every cut. Larger stones are often cut to preserve carat weight, while skilled cutters also create refined classical shapes and increasingly imaginative modern designs.

Colour

Garnets appear in a remarkable spectrum of colours, though deep red remains the most recognisable. Blue garnet is the rarest, and colour-change garnets are exceptionally uncommon.

Clarity

Most garnets are naturally clean and prized for their vitreous (glassy) lustre and high refractive index. Rare inclusions can create a star effect known as asterism, which is highly valued by collectors.

Carat

Garnets occur in a wide range of sizes. While varieties like almandine are readily available in larger carat weights, rare types such as demantoid and tsavorite become significantly more valuable as size increases.

Garnet Treatments

Garnets are not artificially enhanced.
This makes them especially appealing to jewellers and buyers seeking natural, untreated gemstones.

January’s Birthstone & the Second Wedding Anniversary Gem

Garnet is the birthstone for January and the traditional gemstone for the second wedding anniversary. It has long been associated with protection, prosperity, confidence, and vitality. Garnet is also the official gemstone of New York State.

Garnet Care & Cleaning

With proper care, garnet jewellery can last a lifetime.

• Clean using warm soapy water and a soft brush

• Do not steam clean

• Ultrasonic cleaning is safe for most garnets, except demantoid

A Timeless Natural Gemstone

Whether chosen for its symbolism, beauty, or durability, garnet remains one of nature’s most enduring gifts. With its rich history and extraordinary variety, it continues to inspire jewellery designers and gemstone lovers alike.