January Birthstones: 8 Kinds Of Garnet

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Legend has it that the garnet represents friendship, and that wearing garnets will protect you from harm and enhance your personal relationships. If you have a January birthday, these benefits are said to double.

When I was growing up, I learned that my January birthday dictated that my birthstone was a garnet. I wasnt impressed. To me it was just a dull dark red stone, not sparkly like a diamond or as interesting as an opal.

I had no idea that the garnet group of gem stones has many species, varieties and colors. The stones we know as garnets are almost always a mixture of different garnet species, and have varying characteristics.

Andradite can be green yellow/orange or black, and is found in Russia, Namibia, Mexico, Italy, Czech Republic and Arizona.

Spessartine is orange, and can be found in Sri Lanka, Brazil, Afghanistan, Myanmar, East Africa and California.

Purple Almandine is rare, and is found in Sri Lanka, India, Brazil, Australia, Tanzania andthe U.s. Star almandine has been found in Idaho.

Pyrope-almandine, also called Rhodolite is purple red to pink, and was discovered in North Carolina in 1882. Its now found in Africa, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.

Pyrope is pure, is deep red, and is found throughout the world. Some of the best quality comes from diamond mines in South Africa, where the misnomer Cape Ruby comes from. Pyrope from Arizona is sometimes called Arizona Ruby, another misnomer. Red garnets are the best known, and are very affordable. The redder the stone, the higher the value.

Grossular-andradite garnets, also called Mali Garnet or grandite are found in west Africa, can be green or yellow, and have been sold only since 1995.

Pyrope-spessartine , also called Malaya, is orange or pink/orange. Those with red overtones are the most valued malaya colors.

Grossular can be orange, yellow,green, white or pink. When its color is like emerald it can be quite expensive. Some colors are brownish and can be red, orange, yellow or colorless.

Garnet beads were worn in ancient Egypt, and during the 18th and 19th centuries garnets were very popular jewels in Europe. Until the late 1800s Bohemia was the worlds largest source of the red pyrope garnets.

So, if your birthstone is garnet, and youre not crazy about the typical dark red color, now you know you can have some choice in the matter and choose a garnet to suit your taste.

About the Author:
I'm Deena O'Daniel, an artist, writer and entrepreneur from Austin, Texas, by way of Southern California. I love jewelry and I love to write about it. I realized that I was a collector when I sold a particularly beautiful piece of jewelry and immediately regretted the sale. Please visit my blog at http://www.oakhilljewels.com, and for a great selection of jewelry, collectibles and gifts, please visit my web site at http://www.oakhillboutique.com. You can also become a fan on Facebook.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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