Garnets – a stone steeped in history and available in many colors
Garnets are steeped in history in Austria. They were mined in Bohemia and cut there – and Bohemian garnet cutters still exist today. Swarovski, now known as a manufacturer of crystal, was also a garnet cutter in the past.
Garnet stones have been known for a long time. There are finds of garnet jewelry dating back to the Bronze Age. The Egyptians also knew the garnet and saw it as a symbol of life. Later, it became a talisman that was supposed to protect its wearer in war as well as from plague and epidemics.
A group of different stones
A wide variety of stones belong to the garnet group. The best known are the red garnets. Red garnets are also the most common compared to other colors. They can be a deep red pyrope, a wine-red almandine, a pink rhodolite or an orange-red spessartine.
However, garnets also include a number of other gemstones, such as the green stones grossularite, tsavorite (also tsavorolith), demantoid. Umbalite can change color, from blue-green to purple.
The difference lies not only in the color, but also in the chemical composition and the refraction of light.
The value of garnets
Compared to emerald, sapphire, or ruby, garnets are inexpensive.
The most valuable garnet stones are the green ones – especially tsavorith and demantoid can achieve a high price compared to other garnet stones. Tsavorith is mainly found in Kenya, with further deposits in Tanzania and Madagascar. The demantoid is originally from Russia. It often has inclusions called “horsetail-conclusion”. Such inclusions of chrysotile fibers can increase the value of the stone. This makes the demantoid the only gemstone that is more expensive with inclusions than without.
Danger of confusion – garnet stones and their similarity to other gemstones
Some garnet stones look very similar to other gemstones. Often, a distinction is only possible through the microscope. The brownish-red pyrope, for example, can be confused with rhodolite, rubellite (red tourmaline) and ruby.
The green color of tsavorite is often described as “emerald green” and it is indeed easy to mistake it for an emerald. Other stones that resemble garnet are diopside and demantoid.
Origin: Garnet stones can be found almost everywhere in the world.
The first known source of red garnets was in Turkey. Pliny the Elder mentioned them between 25 and 79 AD. However, garnets can be found almost everywhere in the world, including the United States, the Czech Republic, Brazil, Greece, Russia, Tanzania, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and India.
Use: Garnets for elaborate jewelry
Thanks to their hardness (6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale), garnet stones are very suitable for all types of jewelry. Red garnet stones are particularly popular for traditional costume jewelry. Red garnet stones are also a good choice for those looking for an affordable alternative to rubies. What's more, according to the American Gem Society, garnet is the birthstone of the month of January. If you want to give a person born in January a piece of jewelry with a garnet stone, you have a wide range of different colors to choose from.
Since red garnet is relatively inexpensive, you can often find elaborately crafted pieces of jewelry. They usually consist of several stones arranged into flowers and other shapes. Red garnets are also popular as a frame around pearls. The different combinations go well with rings and bracelets, earrings and necklaces. There are also simple pendants and rings with single garnet stones. These can be very large compared to other gemstones (e.g. the ruby).
But beautiful pieces of jewelry can also be made from garnet stones in green, orange or blue-green.
As far as the setting is concerned, silver or gold are equally suitable.
Properties: hardness & treatment
Garnets have a hardness of 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale and are not usually treated.
Most common cuts: from oval to heart-shaped
Garnets are cut both faceted and into smooth cabochons. Round and oval shapes are particularly popular. Red garnets are also often found in heart shapes.
