Rather than merely being one single mineral species, the garnet family consists of six fundamental sub-species with identical crystal structures. As a result, despite their differing compositions, the garnets tend to possess similar visual and physical attributes.
The three aluminum-containing sub-species are often classified together under the portmanteau “pyralspites”, with the abundant pyrope and almandine garnets possessing the dark red hues traditionally associated with the gemstone. However, spessartine is instead noted for its orangish coloration, with pure orange material sometimes sold under the trade name “mandarin garnet”.
The three remaining sub-species are termed “ugrandites”, and these all contain calcium within their fundamental compositions. While uvarovite’s bright green crystals are too small for mainstream jewelry use, similarly-colored grossularite (tsavorite) and andradite (demantoid) are amongst the best-known and most valuable of all green gemstones. In addition, yellowish, orangish, reddish and/or brownish grossularite (hessonite) is also commonly encountered within the marketplace.
Garnet Characteristics
- Hardness: 6.5 – 7.5
- Color: Typically red, but can be orange, green, yellow, purple, black, or brown. Blue garnets are extremely rare.
- Transparency: Transparent to translucent
- Chemical composition: X3Y2(SiO4)3
- Crystal system: Isometric
How is garnet formed?
Different types of garnets occur in various geological environments throughout the world. Most garnet forms when a sedimentary rock with high aluminium content, such as shale, is metamorphosed (subjected to heat and pressure). The high heat and pressure breaks the chemical bonds in the rocks and cause minerals to recrystallise. The new minerals, that form, such as garnet, are more stable in those conditions. This process commonly occurs where two tectonic plates are converging. Garnets can also be found in igneous rocks such as granite and basalt.
As it is fairly resistant to abrasion and chemical weathering, garnet is often found in sedimentary rocks or material that is highly weathered and where only the hardest materials have been left behind, like mineral sand dunes.
Birthstone – Garnet
Garnet, the birthstone of January, is mined in a rainbow of colors. From the fiery orange of Mandarin Garnet to the rich green of Tsavorite Garnet and to the most widely recognized color of Pyrope Garnet, it is considered a great gift to symbolize friendship and trust.
History or Garnet
The garnet has been a popular gem throughout history. Garnets were found as beads in a necklace worn by a young man in a grave that dates back to 3000 B.C. This is proof of the hardness and durability of the stone.
The King of Saxony is said to have had a garnet of over 465 carats. Plato had his portrait engraved on a garnet by a Roman engraver. Bohemia, now a part of Czechoslovakia, was once a tremendous source of garnet, and at one time, cutting, polishing, and mounting garnets was a very rich industry in that country. Many Bohemian castles and churches had magnificent interiors decorated with garnet. Bohemian garnets are famous even today, known for their small but beautiful stones set close to each other resembling a pomegranate. Garnet jewelry is still found in the Czech Republic, with the stones still arranged in the traditional, tightly joined way. This ensures that the attraction of the classical Garnet pieces is caused only by the beauty of its stones. The Anglo-Saxons were also fond of garnets. Their jewelry was set with garnets mounted in many forms.
Garnets were highly popular in Europe, in 18th and 19th centuries. They were frequently used for jewelry in the Victorian times. In Old Spain, the pomegranate was a favorite, and as a result of this, so was the garnet. In Spanish astrology, the garnet once represented the sun. In ancient times, garnet was known as ”Carbuncle,” which relates to the color and refers to a boil or blister. This name was also applied to other red stones, but to the garnet in particular.
Throughout time, there have been many ancient traditions and legends about the garnet. In medieval times, stones were thought to cure depression, protect against bad dreams, and relieve diseases of the liver, as well as hemorrhages. According to legend, Noah used a finely cut, glowing garnet to illuminate the ark during those dark wet days and nights. Hebrew writers include the garnet as one of the twelve gems in Aaron’s breastplate. Christian tradition considered the blood-red garnet as a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice. The Koran holds that the garnet illuminates the Fourth Heaven of the Moslems. The Greeks said it guarded children against drowning. It was also thought to be potent against poisons.
In Greek mythology, a pomegranate is referenced as a gift of love and is associated with eternity. Nowadays, Garnet remains as a gift of love and is traditionally given for the 19th anniversary of marriage. It may also be used as a gift for two-year and six-year anniversaries. Moreover, Garnet is symbolic of a quick return and separated love, since Hades had given a pomegranate to Persephone before she left him to ensure her speedy return. Therefore, Garnet may be given to a beloved before embarking on a trip, as it is believed to heal the broken bonds of lovers.
It has been said that a garnet engraved with the figure of a lion is an all around effective charm that will protect and preserve health, cure the wearer of all disease, bring him honors, and guard him from all the possible perils in traveling. It was also said to warn the wearer of approaching danger and was long ago carried as a protective talisman. One writer wrote that if a garnet loses its luster and shine, it is a sure sign of coming disaster. There may be an affinity between garnets and the warrior tradition. It is recorded that garnets have been used as pellets by a group of native people of India, shot from bows. The tribal belief was that the stone would inflict wounds, which would be particularly bloody.
The history of garnet’s ability to bring about transformation is found in many books. Thelma Isaacs writes that “garnets used for healing were usually almandine and pyrope, the red and purple-red transparent minerals. They were thought to counter melancholy and act as a heart stimulant. In ancient times, there were some who believed that gazing at a red garnet could lead to passion, anger, and even apoplexy.” Barbara Walker believes that “garnet blood magic was left over from ancient ideas of the life-giving powers of uterine blood.” Garnet was named from granatum, the pomegranate, a red-jeweled womb symbol ever since the matriarchal age. Because of these ancient connections with feminine life force, it was sometimes thought that only women should wear garnets.
Types of Garnet
Garnets are historically one of the most important of the colored gemstones, valued for their good hardness and excellent brilliance. The name garnet actually refers to a family of different gemstones. There are many different varieties of garnet, but no gemstone that is simply called “garnet”.
All of the different garnets share a common crystal structure but vary in their chemical composition. Gemology recognizes six common species of garnet based on their different chemical composition. They are pyrope, almandine, spessartite, grossularite, uvarovite and andradite. In addition to these six species, there are a number of other garnet varieties that are distinguished in the gem trade, based on their color or other special properties. Altogether there are at least 17 different varieties of garnet.
Almandine
Iron aluminum silicate, typically red with a violet tint.
Andradite Garnet Gemstones
Calcium iron silicate, the andradite group includes demantoid, melanite and topazolite.
Color-Change Garnet Gemstones
A mix of spessartite and pyrope garnet. This rare garnet presents a color change from brownish or orange in daylight, to rose-pink in incandescent light.
Demantoid Garnet Gemstones
A type of andradite garnet that is the most valuable of all the garnets, due to its outstanding luster and dispersion.
Grossularite (or Grossular) Garnet Gemstones
Calcium aluminum silicate, the grossular group includes grossularite, hessonite, leuco, hydrogrossular and tsavorite garnet.
Hessonite Garnet Gemstones
A type of grossular garnet that is often called cinnamon stone for its brownish-red color.
Hydrogrossular Garnet Gemstones
A type of grossular green garnet that is dense and opaque, resembling jade.
Leuco Garnet Gemstones
A type of grossular garnet that is entirely colorless.
Mali Garnet Gemstones
One of the hybrid garnets, Mali is a mixture of grossular and andradite garnet. It is green in color with excellent luster and dispersion.
Melanite Garnet Gemstones
An opaque black variety of andradite garnet.
Pyrope Garnet Gemstones
Magnesium aluminum silicate, typically red with a brownish tint.
Pyrope Garnet Gemstones
Magnesium aluminum silicate, typically red with a brownish tint.
Rhodolite Garnet Gemstones
One of the hybrid garnets, rhodolite is a mixture of pyrope and almandite garnet. Colors range from ruby-red to purple.
Spessartite (or Spessartine) Garnet Gemstones Magnesium aluminum silicate, typically mandarin-orange to orange-red. Star Garnet Gemstones
Garnets that display asterism (the star affect) are rare and have so far been found only in two places in the world (Idaho, USA and India).
Topazolite Garnet Gemstones
A type of andradite garnet that is yellow to lemon-yellow in color. Its similarity to yellow topaz is the reason for its name.
Tsavorite Garnet Gemstones
A type of grossular garnet colored by chrome, resulting in a bright-green to emerald-green color. The second most valuable of all the garnets.
Uvarovite Garnet Gemstones
Calcium chromium silicate, typically emerald-green. It is rarely found in gemstone quality.
Sources of Garnet
Today, the Mozambique variety of garnets is quite popular. Originating in the East African nation they are named after, Mozambique garnets are known for their high quality and wonderfully warm, red colors. Mozambique garnet is a mixture of pyrope and almandine garnet, similar in color to rhodolite garnet, but slightly more red, and darker.
Garnets are relatively common in highly metamorphic and some igneous rocks. They form under extremely high temperatures and pressure. Geologists can actually use garnets as an indication of the temperatures and pressures at which the rock (where the garnets were found) was formed. The garnet occurs in generous quantities in certain parts of the world, even in small sand particles on many beaches, as well as in rock formations. Garnets are found in Africa, India, Russia, South America, Madagascar, Pakistan, and the United States.
Benefits of Garnet
Garnet is a bright red, fiery crystal of passion and is thought to be one of the oldest crystals used for spiritual protection throughout history. Its name comes from the Latin granatum meaning pomegranate, due to how the crystal represents the seeds of this delicious fruit.
However, Garnet is also called by other names, most commonly carbuncles meaning “fire coals” because the crystal always seems to be smoldering. This provides a glimpse into its spiritual meaning.
The spiritual meaning of Garnet: it is the embodiment of the energies of fire, passion, creativity, and strength.
As one of the four elementals, the quality of fire exists in very high levels within Garnet crystals.
Fire is the spiritual representation of transformation and transmutation. It represents the power to convert energies from one to another. It has been used throughout history in alchemical procedures and other metaphysical practices for this reason.
Today, if you are desiring to change something about your spirit or your soul, using fire elementals, and specifically Garnet can help you to begin increasing movement and vibrations inside your body. This is needed to break apart stagnant energies and transform yourself into the person that you desire to become.
Garnet also represents the formation of passions. It is a common jewel to be worn by both women and men as a tool for increasing attraction and libido. Garnet harnesses the healthy sexual energies of deities such as Venus, Cupid, and Aphrodite.
By working with Garnet in your daily spiritual practice or during tantric activities, you can begin to increase your innate sexual prowess and become more confident in your natural sexual abilities. This can be applied to both men and women.
There are countless beliefs regarding the various benefits of wearing a garnet to promote good health. In ancient and medieval times, the symbolism of color played a very important part in recommending the use of particular stones for special diseases. In the case of red stones, they were thought to be remedies for hemorrhages of all kinds, as well as for inflammatory diseases. Garnets were worn to enhance bodily strength, endurance and vigor. It was widely believed to be extremely beneficial to wear a garnet when one had to exert oneself. Garnet was also though to relieve skin conditions and regulate the heart and blood. It was thought to be healing for either gender. For men, it keeps the reproductive system healthy. For women, it promotes hormonal balance and is said to reduce swelling. Garnet has long believed to cure heart palpitations, lung diseases, and various diseases of the blood. Traditional folklore creates a strong link between the red garnet and blood. It is believed that a garnet tones the spleen, promotes health throughout the circulatory system and enhances the body’s production of healthy hemoglobin. It stimulates metabolism, treats spinal and cellular disorders, purifies and reenergizes the blood, heart and lungs, and regenerates DNA. It also assists the assimilation of minerals and vitamins.
There are many beliefs in the power garnet has over the not just physical health, but mental health as well. Garnet’s virtues have been long believed to include passion, true friendship, fidelity, success, self-esteem, loyalty, devotion, energy, faith, consistency, and truth. The stone also sharpens your perception of yourself and other people. Long ago, garnets were claimed to help the wearer resist melancholy and warn off evil spirits, especially spirits of the night, which were referred to as demons and night phantoms. Today we might interpret this as a stone that can ward off nightmares. Garnet is also said to inspire contemplation and truthfulness, and offers its wearer the power to protect their standing and possessions. The garnet is also an ancient symbol of friendship. In the past, garnets have been exchanged between parting friends to symbolize their affection and to ensure that they meet again. In some circles of belief, it is said that a garnet’s magic cannot be accessed unless the stone has been cut and polished.
Garnet has been believed to be extremely beneficial in the realm of business as well. The stone causes people to be attracted to the wearer, which aids in business, as well as in personal success. It is especially beneficial to those people whose business is people-oriented. The stone is an ideal choice for people who are entering new realms, for example, people who are moving to a new city. Furthermore, the garnet aids in giving strength to the business minded person. Any sort of crisis is turned into challenge under the garnet’s influence.
Perhaps the strongest virtue of the garnet, is its ability to help one overcome depression. The stone has been known to dissolve ingrained behavior patterns that are no longer positive, and bypasses resistance or self-induced unconscious sabotage. It aids in letting go of useless or old ideas. The stone revitalizes, purifies and balances energy, bringing serenity or passionate as appropriate. It removes inhibitions, taboos, anger and discord. It alleviates emotional disharmony, brings on a calming influence, and protects the wearer from being affected by the unwanted energy of others. It strengthens the survival instinct in a crisis, or in extremely traumatic situations, bringing courage and hope where it seems like there is no way out. All in all, the stone keeps depression at bay. It promotes self-confidence and allows one’s inner spirit to radiate.
Garnet also has many virtues when it comes to love and sex as there is a strong aspect of sexual and sensual energy in garnets. The stone is said to balance the sex drive. It supposedly aids in sexual potency and fertility, brings out sexual attraction and frees ones sensual side to release passion and love. Garnet moves a couple deeper into a passionate and sensual exploration of sexual magic. The stone inspires commitment, monogamous and stable marriage, and promises one’s love, devotion, and fidelity with surety. It can also aid in finding true lovers.
Care Instructions
You can clean your garnet with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Always make sure you rinse the stone well after washing it. Ultrasonic treatments may also be used for any garnets except the demantoid variety. Do not steam clean your garnet. As with other stones, one should take care of their garnet and protect it from sharp blows, harsh temperatures and chemicals.