January Birth Stone: Garnet Rings Buying Guide
A Guide To Garnet Rings
Granite Rings: The January’s Birthstone Rings
Is your birthday coming this January? Alright, your birthstone is Garnet. Whether you want to buy garnet rings for yourself or one of your loved ones whose birthday is in January, this beautiful gemstone is a great option to choose. This magnificent gemstone is used in rings, earrings, and pendants, etc. Garnet’s color is red and it is available in soft and vibrant tones. Garnets are available in many colors, but red is known as the birthstone of January.
Garnet: Meaning and Symbolism
Every gemstone has some meaning and symbolism and so does garnet. Garnet means ‘Power’ and it is perceived to be a symbol of strength and good future. For centuries, this gemstone has been used in jewelry as well as in battle garbs across the world. This stone is also recognized as ‘Gem of Faith’. People who do good things while wearing this gem are blessed with good fortune. And those who do bad, gets bad fortune.
According to ancient Egyptians, this gem symbolizes life. Romans also regarded them very high and used garnets as their signet rings. Royals in the Victorian times also used small garnets for large statement formations.
Among garnet’s other qualities, they are also supposed to protect travelers, help build good relationships, avert nightmares, and bring peace and truth to people who wear it.
Garnet Origins
Garnet was discovered back in 3100 B.C. most probably in Egypt. Central Europe is the second place from where this gemstone was found in 16th century.
Now, there are many deposit sites of garnet in different places in Sri Lanka, the United States, Czech Republic, Tanzania, India, Russia, Madagascar, and Greece. Unlike other gemstones, garnets are also found above the ground nearby water sources.
Buying the Right Garnet Rings
Here are the most common and best-value garnet varieties that you can choose from to make your perfect January birthstone ring:
1. Almandine
When looking for the best garnet rings this January, you will know that the most common type of garnet gemstone is ‘Almandine’. The color of Almandine is deep red and it is available in various sizes and in contrarily colored hues. The hardness of this gemstone is between 7 – 7.5 on Moh’s scale.
2. Andradite
Andradite is another popular garnet gemstone. This stone is known for light dispersion quality that is even better than the diamonds.
3. Demantoid
Demantoid is another valuable garnet variety that comes with green hues. The chromium content of Demantoid is what makes the green hues. Another compelling thing about this garnet is that its light dispersion is high which is why many people like it.
4. Grossular
Unlike the other varieties of garnets, this gem rarely comes in dark or red tone. You can find Grossular any color except blue. It even comes colorless. If you are looking for vibrant colors and medium or light tones, then you can choose this garnet variety.
5. Hydrogrossular
This garnet gem variety never comes transparent. They are commonly available in blue-ish green color and sometimes in gray, white, and pink.
6. Spessartite
This gem is also known as spessartine. This is relatively rare, when we compare it with other varieties of garnet. It comes in several orange colors.
7. Pyrope
This garnet variety is available in red and is a perfect rival of rubies. One distinguishing difference is that it has a very dark tone.
8. Uvarovite
This is the rarest of all garnet varieties and it comes in dark and rich green color that makes it a great rival to emerald. So, if you are looking for a gemstone with dark, rich green tone, then you can opt for this one.
There are also some other non-gem species of garnets, such as goldmanite, kimzeyite, schorlomite, yamatoite, and henritermierite. If there is even a little yellow hue in the garnet gemstone, then this will lower the garnet value. So, you must keep this factor in mind, while shopping for the garnet rings.
Above discussed are the most popular garnet gemstone varieties available. You can choose from any of the above varieties to make your perfect birthstone jewelry. Most of the people recognize garnet as a gemstone that has ruby-like aesthetics.
Garnet Color, Cuts and Shapes
When evaluating a garnet, your first concern should be the gemstone color. The color of the garnet is vital in determining the beauty and value of the stone.
The best value garnets are those that are more vivid or redder in color. The garnet gemstones come in standard cuts and shapes, making them the most impeccable gemstones for jewelry pieces.
Stone Sizes
Garnet stones are normally small. The size of the garnet gemstone starts from microscopic to approximately 6 inches.
Distinguishing between Garnets and Rubies
Because the garnet’s common variety comes in a deep-red color, most people may mistake this gemstone for rubies. However, rubies have greater value than garnets. There are a few ways by which you can distinguish the two gemstones.
First, you can examine the gemstone color by keeping it against the light source. If you notice a green and yellow reflection, then the gemstone is probably a garnet. If there are reflections of red and blue, then it is probably a ruby.
Another way to distinguish between garnets and rubies is to examine gemstone refraction. Garnets are single refractive, while rubies are double refractive gemstones.
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How to Care for Garnet Rings?
Garnet gemstones are durable than many gemstones, such as opal and turquoise. However, they are less durable, when we compare them with diamonds. Gently wipe your garnet ring using warm soapy water to clean it.
Do not use steam cleaning as the experts do not recommend it. After cleaning, let your jewelry dry completely. Once dry, you should store it in a padded container or soft cloth.
Seek Professional Advice
If you are still not sure what garnet variety to buy and how to recognize the real garnet gemstone, then you can also seek professional help. For this, you should find a credible jeweler who can help you choose a valuable stone according to your personal preferences and budget. Do not try to buy your garnet ring in a hurry.
Do proper research before you choose your ring. This will help you get best value for your money. Now, you have learned all the basics about the garnet gemstone. And we are pretty much sure that you can now easily pick your January birthstone garnet rings.