An Ode to Garnet
The term garnet is derived either from the Latin
word granatum, meaning pomegranate because
of its resemblance to the fruit’s seed, or from the
Latin word granus that means grains.
This gemstone is often represented by its most
classical variety: the pyrope or almandine red color.
But what most people (read: clients) don’t know is
that it can come in a wide variety of colors, and an
even wider price range than we first thought. Almost
Is there a gemstone group out there that is more intriguing and
complex than the garnet group? This gem represents such a
huge part of our industry, that we could no longer ignore the need to write an article about it.
no other gemstone can compare. Contrary to diamond,
corundum or even tourmaline, garnet doesn’t have
family. It has a group for a very peculiar reason.
What do we know?
First of all, garnet is a well-known gem in the market,
known for its red color and its affordability. It’s also
the birthstone for January. The stone is a popular gem,
because, apart from some heating (and even that is rare), garnet is almost never treated, nor does it need
to be. It has no well-known synthetics, apart from
the Y.A.G. (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) and the G.G.G.
(Gadolinium Gallium Garnet) that you rarely see today.
It has a hardness of 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale
depending on the variety, making it a sturdy gem to set
in any jewelry type.
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InColor Spring/summer issue 2024, N.51