Garnet has been one of the world's favorite gemstones for centuries. It has been known and written about since ancient times. It is the birthstone for January. Although gem quality garnets can be among the most beautiful of gemstones, they are relatively affordable. There are some varieties, like tsavorite, demantoid and spessartite that can be very expensive, but most are modestly priced. They are great for use in jewelry because they are hard (6.5 to 7.5 on the Moh's hardness scale), durable, and beautiful. They display excellent "brilliance" and clean specimens (free of inclusions) are easy to come by. They can be cut en cabochon or faceted.

Most gem garnets come from Africa, South America and India but garnets are mined in almost every country in the world. Though most of us think of garnets only as a red gemstone, they come in many colors, including orange, green, and pink. There are "star" garnets and "color change" garnets that appear different colors when viewed in different lighting. There is even a rare, blue garnet from Madagascar!

Garnets are not actually a single species or variety of gemstone but are a family of gems that share certain physical properties including crystal shape and chemical composition. They are generally grouped into six garnet species. They are almandine, pyrope, spessartine, grossular, andradite and uvarovite. To complicate matters even more, a garnet is never just one species, but is a blend of two or more of these six.

A particular garnet is usually named for the species that is most prevalent in that stone. For example, a garnet that is described as "pyrope" may actually be 80% pyrope, 15% almandine and 5% spessartine. Some specific blends have also been given names of their own. For example, a violet-red garnet that is about 2/3 pyrope and 1/3 almandine is called a Rhodolite Garnet. Other names you may encounter for varieties of garnets include demantoid, which is usually green, Mandarin, which is a tangerine orange spessartine, and hessonite, usually cinnamon brown or yellowish color. There is also tsavorite that is a beautiful emerald green hue and Malaya garnet which may be pink or reddish-orange.

Learning, identifying and describing the seemingly endless varieties of garnets is challenging, but they provide a wide range of prices and colors for every pocketbook and taste. Garnets also provide a source of great beauty and endless fascination for jewelry lovers, gem aficionados and mineral collectors alike.

Learn more about this author, Brett Mcgill.
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