Red garnets are well known, but it is less well known that garnets appear in all colors except blue.
In my view the simple red garnet is a humble and underestimated in gemstone. Its good durability makes it an excellent gemstone for use in claddagh and celtic jewelry, it is also a very affordable and versatile gemstone.
Garnets are colorful lively and durable. There are many species of garnets.These are as follows, Pyrope, Almandine, Spessartine, Grossular and Andradite.
The word garnet comes from the latin " Granatum " meaning pomegranate, a reference to the well know red garnet color.
Examples of the use of garnets have been discovered in Bronze age Eastern Europe, in Egypt before 3100 BC, Sumeria around 2300 BC. They were the Greeks favorite gemstone in the third and fourth century BC.
GARNET LEGENDS AND LORE
According to Talmud, one large garnet provided the only source of light on Noah's ark. In the middle ages garnet had a reputation as the gemstone of constancy, truth and faith.
As has been the case with other red stones garnet was believed to be connected to a remedy and protection from general wounds.
They were believed to be powerful gemstones by the Hanzas who used them in the making of garnet bullets which were used in conflict with the British on the Kashmir frontier.
OCCURRENCE
Garnets form in metamorphic and igneous rock. They can be found in many locations around the world from South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Sri Lanka and India to name a few.
