Many people fall head over heels upon seeing jewellery pieces embedded with a blood red gemstone called garnet. Derived from the Latin word “granatum”, which literally means “dark red”, garnet often brings to mind gemstones of a deep red colour.
Jewellers Share Some Surprising Uses for the Stunning Garnet
Though garnet commonly occurs in red, you might be surprised to know that the gemstone also appears in many colours, including yellow, orange, and pink. You might also be surprised to learn that this stunning gemstone is used for a wide range of industrial applications.
Abrasives
Garnet stands between 6.5 and 7.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, meaning it’s a relatively hard mineral. Given its hardness, garnet has been used as an abrasive in different types of manufacturing. Typically, garnet is crushed into angular pieces with sharp edges, which are then used for cutting and sanding.
You might also find garnet sold as abrasive granules and powders. Often, small granules of garnet are also bonded to paper to create sandpaper that’s often used for woodworking shops.
Waterjet Cutting
Waterjet cutters are machines used in the manufacturing and mining industries. These machines produce a high-pressure jet of water that contains entrained abrasive granules. The jet of water then produces a cutting action when directed a piece of metal, ceramic, or stone. In the United States, garnet is often used as abrasive granules.
Filtration
Other than as abrasives, garnet granules are also used as a filter media. This is because garnet is relatively inert and has a high specific gravity, which makes it perfect to allow the passage of liquid but not of contaminant particles. These innate qualities of garnet also reduce bed expansion and particle abrasion during back-flushing.
Jewellery Pieces
Though garnet perfectly suits these industrial applications, this mineral is still popular as a gemstone. In fact, garnet has long been used for jewellery among Egyptians and Ancient Romans. Today, this beautiful gemstone serves as the birthstone for January and the perfect gift for couples celebrating their second anniversary. This beautiful gemstone is often sold without treatment, and is favoured for its durability.
As mentioned earlier, garnet comes in different colours, with red almandine being the most commonly found stone in jewellery. If you’re looking for a beautiful garnet jewellery piece, don’t hesitate to visit jewellers in Reading. These jewellery experts can help you find the perfect gift for your loved one.
Sources:
Garnet, Geology.com
Garnet Gemstone Information, GemSelect