A jewel whose name comes from the Greek “granatum” and Latin “granatus” is associated with the resemblance of this gemstone to the deep ruby seeds of the fruit of the same name. The oldest records concerning garnet place it in the Nile Delta, around 3100 B.C., from where it was extracted by craftsmen and then set in hand-forged jewelry that adorned the necks of pharaohs – in the tombs of Egyptian pyramids, necklaces made of garnets over 5,000 years old were discovered!

OCCURRENCE AND COLORS

Garnet is adored worldwide for its exceptional colors, which cover the entire spectrum of hues specific to the region where it is found – from the rich raspberry shades of rhodolite, the deep purple of grape garnet, which remains the most widespread and well-known type of this gemstone, the oranges and browns of spessartite and hessonite from Namibia and Sri Lanka, the vibrant lime-green demantoid, discovered in the Russian Ural Mountains in the 19th century, to the grass-green tsavorite, mined in East Africa.

Garnets can be found in almost every corner of the Earth – Among others, in South Africa in diamond mines, in the Czech Republic, Turkey, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Norway, India, Brazil, the USA, and Madagascar. Garnets also occur in several places in Poland — in the Karkonosze Mountains, the Izera Mountains, and the Owl Mountains. — in the Karkonosze Mountains, the Izera Mountains, and the Owl Mountains.

CHOICE OF STONE

Garnets are most commonly found in round, oval, and cushion cuts.Availability varies and mainly depends on the variety; tsavorite and demantoid, due to their scarce extraction, are the most desirable varieties of the mineral for making fine jewelry and cost thousands of dollars per carat (they are rarely found in sizes larger than four carats), while rhodolite garnet is available in larger sizes and more affordable prices, making this variety an excellent choice when selecting a gemstone for custom-designed jewelry.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES

Due to its origin, garnet can be found in igneous rocks, metamorphic rocks, clastic formations, and pegmatites, and its varied color varieties affect the chemical complexity of the stone, whose general chemical formula is as follows: X3Y2(SiO4)3, where: X stands for calcium, magnesium, iron Fe+2, or manganese, and Y stands for aluminum, iron Fe+3, chromium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium.

Garnet consists of a group of closely related minerals, including almandine, pyrope, grossular, spessartine, andradite, and uvarovite. Many garnets contain a mixture of these minerals; they influence the color of the stone:

Almandine – dark red to reddish-brown; Andradite – brown, black, red; Grossular – colorless, green, orange; Pyrope – from bright red to dark red; Spessartine – pink, brown, orange; Uvarovite – green; Rhodolite – dark pink.

MYSTICAL PROPERTIES OF GARNET

There are many beliefs about the power of the pomegranate not only in relation to physical health but also mental health. Long ago, it was claimed that pomegranates help the wearer resist melancholy and warn against evil spirits, as well as indicate their power to ward off nightmares. It is also said that the pomegranate inspires contemplation and truthfulness, and provides the wearer with the power to protect their position and possessions. The pomegranate is also an ancient symbol of friendship.In the past, garnets were exchanged between friends who were parting ways to symbolize their affection and ensure they would meet again. Perhaps the strongest advantage of garnet is its ability to help overcome depression. This stone is known for dissolving ingrained patterns of behavior that are no longer positive and bypassing resistance or self-induced unconscious sabotage. It helps to get rid of useless or outdated ideas.The stone revitalizes, cleanses, and balances energy, bringing peace or passion, depending on the needs. It can also help in finding true love.

GARNET IN JEWELRY FROM THE 79 ELEMENT WORKSHOP

The enormous color variety of garnet and its properties make it a very attractive choice in jewelry design, perfectly matching with gold, platinum, and other precious metals. The specialty of the 79 Diamonds workshop is creating custom gold jewelry, especially jewelry with diamonds; however, in our designs, we use most of the mineral treasures of Mother Earth, who has blessed us with such a wealth of precious and semi-precious stones – it all depends on the taste and needs of our Clients.