Your Guide To Garnet Gemstones

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Found in virtually all colours, the gemstone garnet is renowned for its remarkable brilliance and has been used in jewellery for centuries.
The following guide will give you a comprehensive look into the history, valuation and care of these beautiful semi-precious stones.
History of Garnets in Jewellery
Garnets have been used in jewellery creations for centuries – they’ve been found in the ruins of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Africa is the main source of garnets, but they are also to be found in Brazil, Mexico, Bohemia, Australia and North America. One of the most sought after varieties is the Russian Demantoid garnet, which is bright green and found in the Ural Mountains of Russia.
It was commonly believed in earlier times that garnets had healing powers – they were worn to regulate the heart and blood flow, to relieve skin inflammation and as a remedial aid for depression. Garnets were also used as gifts to cement friendships.
In the Far East and India, the garnet was worn as an amulet (a charmed necklace) for protection against bad luck, evil, poison, lightening and disease. ...
... It was also believed to attract good health and happiness.
The discovery of the radiant orange Spessartite garnet from the Angola/Namibian border in the 1980’s energised the jewellery industry and was a key factor in promoting garnets as a leading gemstone for high-end retail.
Garnet Properties
Garnets are fairly durable (weighing 7.0 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness), making them ideal for cutting and polishing. They also have a high refractive index (sparkle), which makes them extremely attractive in jewellery.
The colour of these gemstones determines their value more than their weight. Most people think of garnets as red stones, however garnets come in every colour of the rainbow except for blue, and the different varieties are named for their distinct colour. For example, Pyrope garnets come in various shades of red while Spessartite garnets range from yellow and orange. Tsavorite, Uvarovite and Demantoid are the names given to the green varieties.
Valuation of Garnets
Tsavorite garnets are the most popular and valuable garnets to date and range from a light green to a deep dark green. Originating in East Africa and named by Tiffany’s jewellers in the 1960’s, they are highly sought after for their brilliance and sparkle, which can match even the finest emerald. Do avoid Tsavorite’s however that have more of an aquamarine tone, since the closer to an emerald green the stone is the more valuable it will be.
Demantoid garnets are also one of the most valuable garnets, but these are extremely rare in larger sizes.
Generally, garnets are not treated or enhanced – this is what makes them highly popular and one of the most valuable of the gemstone family.
As with all precious and semi-precious stones, the cut, clarity, carat and colour is vitally important when valuing the worth of garnets:
Colour
Some garnets can change colour according to the light, which makes them unusual and highly sought after. Costing will differ according to specific colour, with garnets available in all shades except blue.
Carat
Garnets are weighed and measured in carats as with most gemstones and this is an integral factor in pricing. Nevertheless, out of two garnets which weigh the same, the highest value will be determined by colour.
Cut
The cut of a gemstone is crucial and can also make it appear larger than it truly is. For example, a rectangular stone will appear bigger than a round cut stone. The cut is also essential to the brilliance and sparkle of the stone, plus a good cut will bring out its clarity and helps to conceal inclusions (internal flaws). Garnets can be cut in any of the typical gemstone designs such as round, pear, emerald, oval, trillion, cushion, marquise or princess.
Clarity
With a few exceptions, garnet gems have zero or very little inclusions visible to the naked eye, even in the larger stones. The Demantoid garnets can have fuzzy inclusions (called ‘horse-tail’), however strangely this only increases their value.
Caring for Your Garnet Gemstones
One of the best things about garnets is that they don’t require extra special care and can be easily cleaned in the manner of most gemstone jewellery – the easiest method is to place them in warm soapy water, use a soft brush to gently rub them down and then dry thoroughly with a soft towel. Steam cleaning is not recommended and although garnets are fairly resistant to scratching and chipping, do store each piece separately to be safe.
Conclusion
These beautiful, brilliantly coloured gemstones will make for a dazzling addition to any jewellery collection. And because garnets come in such a wide variety of colours, you can wear them to suit any outfit that strikes your fancy.
About the Author : Julia Littlewood is a stylist and jewellery designer.