Garnet - The Birthstone for January

January Birthstone - Pomegranate Red

One glance at the deep red seeds nestled inside of a pomegranate fruit explains why the January birthstone "garnet" comes from the Latin word "granatus," meaning "grain" or "seed." This name was given to the garnet because of its close resemblance to the succulent pomegranate seed. But don't bite into a garnet, because at Moh's hardness 6.5 to 7.5, it will definitely damage the teeth!

January birthstone - Myths and Legends

There are many myths and legends surrounding the January birthstone garnet. One Biblical legend is that Noah hung this gem on the ark to light his way through the dark and stormy nights of God's wrath. A Greek myth linked to the garnet is the story of the young goddess of sunshine, Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. Hades eventually released Persephone, but not before he offered her some pomegranate seeds, which guaranteed her return to him.

Commonly Found January Birthstone

First mined in Sri Lanka over 2,500 years ago, the garnet is also found in Africa, Australia, India, Russia, South America; and in the United States, in Arizona and Idaho. Although most commonly known as a red gemstone, the garnet comes in a variety of other hues, including muted yellows, vibrant oranges, rosy pinks, lime greens, and violets—a virtual bouquet of colors. This diversity is due to unique combinations of elements within each particular gem, such as iron, calcium, and manganese.

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Archaeologist findings of primitive style garnet jewelry among the graves of lake dwellers dates the early use of this gemstone to the Bronze age. But not all garnet is of gem quality. It is also a very effective abrasive and is used commercially for grinding and polishing. Garnet coated sandpaper is one such industrial use.

The January birthstone garnet continues to be the protective gem of journeyers. A gift of garnet is thought to be symbolic of love and the desire for a loved one's safe travel and speedy homecoming. Being the January birthstone, but far from being only a winter gem, the garnet, with its brilliance and multitude of colors, is truly one for any season.

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Aquamarine

Brilliant Cut Trillion Aquamarine

Named after the Latin aqua (water) and mare (marine or the sea), the clear-blue sea-water color of aquamarine is a popular gemstone. Most natural-color aquamarine is light bluish-green similar to a sea green. This was the preferred color of Aquamarine in the 19th century. Today, Aquamarine is routinely heat-treated to remove the green component, changing it to the more valued colors of sky blue and dark blue.

The more intense the blue color, the more valuable the stone. Aquamarines usually have a high transparency and clarity, even under magnification and is dichroic, appearing blue or colorless as the stone is viewed from different angles. They are also very durable gemstones and their color is evenly distributed throughout the stone. Gem-quality Aquamarine is found as hexagonal crystals, which may be up to 39 inches (1 meter) long and flawless, with striations along the length of the crystal. Fine quality stones over a carat can retail for $200-$1000 per carat, and is cut with the table facet parallel to the length of the crystal in order to emphasize the deepest coloration. Almost all Aquamarine on the market has been heat treated to enhance its color by removing tinges of yellow and brown caused by iron. The color change is permanent and is an acceptable practice by those in the jewelry trade. If overheated, the stones may become colorless.