What is special about GARNET JEWELRY?
Charisma! Not only can it be every color of the rainbow, but it can exhibit the widest variety of color change hues among all gemstones. Forget what you thought you knew and prepare to be mesmerized. Get the skinny and shop a curation of discerning jewelry, thoughtfully designed by women…
This natural gem is courtesy of Wild & Petsch for the purpose of education.
WHAT IS GARNET?
The word originates from the Latin word ‘granum’ meaning seedlike - referencing both the round shape of the crystal and the rich, red hue of pomegranate seeds.
It has been significant across cultures for thousands of years. According to legend, Noah illuminated his arc with a glowing garnet through 40 dark days and nights of rain. To ancient Greeks, it symbolized eternity, represented separated love, and encouraged a quick return. In Asiatic warrior traditions, garnet pellets were believed to inflict particularly bloody, lethal wounds. It adorned Egyptian pharaohs (in life and death) and was placed next to wounds to expedite healing. In Europe during the Middle Ages, these gems signified trust and affection and was a popular gift between friends.
We’ve outlined points to help you understand value and what to ask to make an informed decision on a piece of jewelry you will LOVE!
LOOKING AT WHERE TO BUY GARNET JEWELRY TO EMPOWER YOUR UNIQUE STYLE OR A JEWELRY GIFT THAT WILL BE LOVED AND WORN?
Shop our hand-picked fine jewelry from coveted designers that celebrates your personal story and helps you be seen and taken seriously. Read how our concierge services finds jewelry that was meant for her… or you!
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DESIGNER GARNET JEWELRY
Discover what to know about garnet - and jewelry designed by WOMEN!
What are the different colors of garnet?
Natural garnets are incredibly charismatic, so prepare to be dazzled. The most common “gem quality” stone we all know well is the raspberry-red, purplish-red rhodolite variety. Less common is mandarin-hued spessartine and even more rare is emerald-green tsavorite. Ready for the dazzle part?
They can be every color of the rainbow! This is because garnet is a large group that includes a variety of minerals that are often of mixed “species”. One phenomenal variety (composed of pyrope and spessartite) shares a rare quality with sapphire and alexandrite, known as color change. In fact, they are known to exhibit the widest variety of color change hues among all gemstones.
The most rare and valuable type is demantoid. This saturated green stone exhibits a higher refractive index than ruby and sapphire and an exceptional fire and brilliance that rivals diamonds. Demantoid means “diamond-like” for a reason! What is the most prized quality of demantoid? Perfect “imperfections” called inclusions! The most prestigious of which have fibrous “horsetails”, often indicative of a Russian origin. Demantoid is the only gemstone whose inclusions are highly desirable - and elevate value.
This specialized service helps you acquire:
statement or everyday rings
day t0 night earrings
pendants or layering necklaces
chunky bracelets
responsibly sourced garnets
Discover The Brilliant Concierge.
Where is garnet found?
They occur in metamorphic rocks found on every continent. Below are a few countries paired with varieties:
AFGHANISTAN - large producer of mandarin (spessartine)
BRAZIL - various varieties
INDIA - red (rhodolite)
IRAN - demantoid (a recent discovery)
KENYA - emerald-green tsavorite from the world-renowned Scorpion mine
MYANMAR - mandarin (spessartine) among other varieties
NAMIBIA - mandarin (spessartine)
RUSSIA - demantoid
SRI LANKA - red (rhodolite)
TANZANIA - emerald-green tsavorite first discovered in 1967
The origin of gemstones: TRACEABILITY
The breathtaking gems you see here are courtesy of Nomad’s. Just as we know where our food comes from and who made our clothes, why not jewelry?
Below is an example of their proprietary Provenance Report, demonstrating their commitment to transparency, trust, and traceability. Beyond the descriptive details about each gemstone, the report discloses the history of the origin and a specific gemstone’s journey to the cutting wheel - literally mapping and disclosing the supply chain.
What does ethically and sustainably sourced jewelry mean?
Women and men at the forefront of this global conversation will have slightly different perspectives, but there is a shared ethos: responsible sourcing.
This encompasses traceability, conflict-free, protecting people, their skills, and the environment - be it land or sea.
An ongoing initiative worth following is the Jewelry Glossary Project.
The purpose is to create shared definitions of key terms within the jewelry industry for use by the trade and the public. The project was launched to increase transparency throughout the supply chain, by building consensus on definitions for key terms and creating accountability for their usage.
Manifesting your intentions with garnet
This gemstone attracts revitalization, serenity, abundance, prosperity, and vitality.
Just as our ancient ancestors believed gemstones were imbued with special properties, such as protection, wisdom, or courage, today we are empowered by the metaphysical properties of gemstones to manifest what we wish to create.
You may be interested in our guide to visualize your intentions through the metaphysical properties of gemstones and jewelry.
Unlike many natural gemstones, it is not common for them to be heat-treated or enhanced by other methods.
For some gemstones, it is an acceptable practice (emerald) and for others, it is something to avoid (opal). Examples can be heat treatment, irradiation, bleaching, and fracture/cavity filling and these should always be disclosed.
On the topic of treatment of any kind with any gemstone, knowledge is power because it always impacts value.
The MOHS SCALE:
How hard is GARNET?
hard, but susceptible to everyday scratches
The Mohs scale of hardness is important to consider when choosing a particular stone for a particular kind of wear.
It is the degree of mineral “hardness”, measured by the resistance which a smooth surface offers to abrasion: 1 (soft) to 10 (hard). For example, an 8 will scratch a gemstone that is a 7 or below. Simply put, the softer the stone, the more careful you need to be about wearing that stone in jewelry that may be exposed to more wear.
Does garnet scratch easily?
This is a question you’re most likely to ask when buying gemstones and jewelry. Knowing how hard it is (or any other stone) will help you to determine whether it is an everyday gemstone or an occasional piece.
While still in the hard range, is a 6.5 - 7.5, be aware it can be more susceptible to everyday scratches and damage with accidental bumps. For significant or rare garnets, choosing kinds of jewelry (i.e. cocktail rings, necklaces, or earrings) that will encounter less contact with harder surfaces is a good option.
How to care for garnet jewelry
A few jewelry care basics can keep your pieces looking their best, avoid damage and loss of gemstones.
WEAR: When dressing for day or night, jewelry should be the last thing on and the first thing off. Contact with chemicals such as fragrance, hairspray, nail polish remover, household cleaners, and chlorine can harm jewelry.
Remove jewelry when cleaning, gardening, swimming, or playing sports, as contact with hard surfaces can scratch, damage, or loosen stones in prongs.
CHECK SETTINGS AND STONES: Inspect jewelry before wearing it to check if the stones are chipped, loose, or rattle in settings.
CLEANING: All precious metals, gemstones, and pearls should be cleaned regularly, but require different care. For example, ultrasonic cleaners can crack opals, shatter pearls or diminish their appearance. Avoid using steam and ultrasonic cleaners with garnet.
● For gemstones on the Mohs scale at 7 or above, a simple cleaning solution is warm water with mild soap and a soft toothbrush. For those at 6 or below, replace the toothbrush with a tightly woven microfiber or other soft cloth.
● A soft polishing cloth will keep any precious metal looking its best.
● Take any investment pieces to a trustworthy professional jeweler once a year for a thorough cleaning and inspection.
● See our full guide to How To Clean Fine Jewelry.
STORAGE: Keep jewelry individually stored in a pouch or box to avoid scratches and abrasions from other gemstones and metal, as well as general tangles and dents.
INSURANCE: For any jewelry of significant value, be sure to have it appraised, file any provenance and gemstone report in a secure place, and be sure to have it insured.
