Garnet Rings, Earrings, and Jewelry
Garnet History
Garnet is a beautiful and versatile gemstone. When most people think
of garnets, they think of beautiful red stones, however, there are
many different varieties of garnet
jewelry and they actually come in every color except blue.
In addition to many colors, there are many different types. Andradite
garnets come in yellow, green and brown. The emerald green andradite
garnets from Russia are known as the demantoid garnets. Demantoid
garnets are softer than other garnets and should be protected. Almandine
garnet is the most common type and comes in dark red to brownish
red. Grossular garnets come in yellow, orange, green, and brown.
The green grossular garnets found in Tanzania and Kenya are known
as tsavorite garnets. Pyrope garnets come in blood red and used
to be mistaken for rubies. Malaya
garnet, a blend of pyrope and spessartine, comes in bright light
orange. Rhodolite garnets are a mix of pyrope and almandine and
comes in light to dark pink to purplish red. Spessartine garnets
comes in reddish-brown to yellow orange. The bright orange spessartine
garnets are also known as mandarin garnets. Star garnets, reddish-purple
stones found in the United States, have a faint four-rayed star.
Garnet not only come in many colors, but sizes, too. Almandine
and pyrope garnets can come up to 40 to 50 carats, but most do not
exceed 20 carats. Grossular and Spessartine garnets are rarely more
than 10 carats. Tsavorite and demantoid garnets are rarely over
3 carats.
Garnet can be found all around the world from South Africa, Zimbabwe,
Tanzania, Madagascar, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Brazil, Argentina,
Czech Republic, Russia, Pakistan, India, Canada, Mexico, Arizona,
Virginia and California.
Garnet ranks 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness (diamonds
are ranked 10, the hardest substance). Garnet stones are hard, but
somewhat brittle. Garnet
Rings are wonderful for everyday wear, but a hard impact could
chip or crack the stone. The stones are almost never color treated,
but there are imitation garnets. Technology has made similar stones,
but with different chemical compositions.
Garnets are January's birthstone and are recommended for the 2nd
wedding anniversary.
How to Buy a Garnet
Color is the most important thing to look for in a garnet. Bright
colors are usually more expensive than darker stones. The other
C's are still important; so remember to take into account the cut,
clarity, and carat of the garnet. Quality garnets are usually eye
clean and have high clarity under magnification.
Some questions to ask when purchasing a garnet are:
- Has the garnet been treated?
- Is the garnet natural or synthetic?
- Are there any noticeable scratches, chips or inclusions?
- Is the garnet's color even throughout the stone?
- How good is the color?
As with all jewelry purchases, comparison-shop and see how much different
retailers are selling the same quality garnet. Research information
on garnet to make sure you get the best value for your purchase.
Care
Clean garnet
rings with warm soapy water and a soft brush. A sonic cleaner
can be used for most garnets except for Andradite (Demantoid) garnets
because they are softer than other garnets. Never steam clean a
garnet.
Always store your garnet jewelry in a fabric-lined box to keep
it safe from other pieces of jewelry. Never wear your jewelry when
doing rough work or working with harsh chemicals.
With these tips, your beautiful garnets should last you for many
years.
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