Facts, Legend & Lore
January Traditional Birthstone
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Greetings!
This month we are featuring the gemstone Garnet, which is the accepted birthstone for the month of January. It is also the accepted anniversary gemstone for the second year of marriage and known as the "stone of health," because it is believed to rid the body of negative energy.
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Garnets Come In Many Colors
 When most people think of garnet, they picture the dark red bohemian garnet that was popular in Victorian times. You may be surprised to learn that garnets are found in every color except blue. Some of the varieties include brilliant tsavorite green, raspberry pink rhodolite garnet and orange malaya garnet. Bright red "anthill" garnets are found in Arizona. The Tsars of Russia favored the rare demantoid garnet as pictured above.
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Garnet Legend & Lore
 Legend holds that Noah hung a huge garnet in the ark for illumination. It reportedly also gives its wearer guidance in the night, protection from nightmares, and according to the Egyptians, is an antidote for snake bites and food poisoning. It was also thought to have a special affinity with the blood.
The name "garnet" comes from the Latin word granatus (grain) which is possibly a reference to the Punica granatum (pomegranate), a fruit with red seeds similar in shape, size and color to some garnet crystals.
Garnets offer enough variety in appearance for every taste as well as a price range to suite every pocketbook. Garnets are found in the U.S., Africa, Sri Lanka, Brazil and India.
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bout everyone knows what their birthstone is.