Often found amongst the antique jewellery, the deep-red gemstone called garnet remains used for beautiful jewellery pieces available today from trusted jewellers in Reading and Berkshire. Simply seeing the rich colour of this gemstone can immediately give you a boost, since most people believe that garnet boosts and revitalises the body. You may be surprised to know, however, that garnet is the term used for a group of more than ten different gemstones with the same chemical composition.
The “Seed” Gemstone
Experts and jewellers believe that the term “garnet” was derived from the Latin term “granum”, or “seed”, due to its appearance being similar to a pomegranate seed. Red continues to be the gemstone’s principal colour, though garnets can also come in different shades of green, yellow, and orange. There are also rare ones that can even change colours, depending on the light.
Garnets in History
Due to its luminous properties, garnet is amongst the numerous gemstones that made its mark throughout ancient history. This gemstone has been used as a talisman by early explorers and travellers to protect them from evil. It was even believed that Noah used a garnet lantern to guide him whilst steering his ark through the night. Garnets showcase exceptional luminosity because of its high refractive index.
Early Egyptians were amongst the first to use garnets for jewellery, but it was during the 18th and 19th centuries when the red variety of this gemstone became popular, especially those coming from the former kingdom of Bohemia. Today, garnets are mostly found in Africa, India, Russia, and Central and Southern America.
Mental and Emotional Effects
Most people believe that garnet is effective in dispelling all the negative emotions they feel, whilst imparting a calming feeling to the wearer. Garnet is often associated with commitment, hope, honesty, and faith, along with earthly pleasures, sensuality, and intimacy. These gemstones are even used for spiritual healing, and people even believe that garnets can bring success in one’s career.
Garnet in Jewellery
Aside from its innate luminosity, garnets make for great jewellery pieces due to its excellent wearing properties, having a hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. Despite being cut into different shapes, be it classical or modern, garnet never loses its natural and unadulterated beauty.
Despite the many colours of garnet, deep red remains to be the most popular colour amongst the jewellery lovers. Especially when crafted by a skilled jeweller in Reading, like Jacobs, the beauty of garnet jewellery will definitely be long-lasting and bright for the years to come.
Sources:
Garnets, International Colored Gemstone Association
Garnet, Crystal Meanings & More