January

TECHNICAL

As a gemstone, garnets have had a mixed reputation. They possess high indices of refraction, are relatively hard, have pretty colors, are wonderfully transparent, lack cleavage and are durable; thus making good candidates for gemstones. However, many people consider garnets to be inferior to other colored gems. This may be due to garnet's relative abundance and widespread use, and therefore a (typically) low price. Garnets are greatly variable in colors and varieties, and many of these are both rare and beautiful, producing genuinely precious gemstones. Some garnets are truly unique in the mineral kingdom and have much to offer as both gemstones and mineral specimens.

Garnets display the greatest variety of color of any mineral, occurring in every color except blue. A few garnets exhibit a color-change phenomenon. They are one color when viewed in natural light and another color when viewed in incandescent light.

Garnets are isostructural, meaning that they share the same crystal structure. This leads to similar crystal shapes and properties. Garnets belong to the isometric crystal class, which produces very symmetrical, cube-based crystals. The most common crystal shape for garnets however is the rhombic dodecahedron, a twelve sided crystal with diamond-shaped (rhombic) faces. This basic shape is the trademark of garnets, for no other crystal shape is so closely associated with a single mineral group like the rhombi dodecahedron is with garnets.

FOLKLORE

I am Garnet, so called by the ancient Greeks because my color reminded them of the “granatum,” or pomegranate seed. The glowing deep red with hints of orange and brown, remind us of an autumn harvest or Indian summer. Wrapped in my warmth, you feel protected against the storms ahead. It’s no wonder that I was once believed to have healing properties, particularly in diseases related to the blood.

I am the birthstone for January, the suggested gift for the second anniversary and the astrological sign of Aquarius.

Although I am the traditional birthstone for the month of January, red need not be your color of choice if you are born in this month. I come in rich orange and golden hues, striking greens, and petal soft colors of violet and lavender.

I am believed to be the sign of friendship, loyalty and devotion. I promote heat, energy and vitality. I stimulate self-esteem, willpower and imagination. I’m good for circulation, especially in lungs, skin and intestines. I’m a grounding stone that brings peace and solitude to the wearer, and I’m good at calming anger.