January (Garnet)

Garnet is the birthstone for January, and the gemstone for the second anniversary. While most people know the January birthstone as a maroon red color, garnet is a large family of gemstones which occur in every single color, except blue. You’ll find the gem in colors such as orange, pink, yellow, green, violet, and others. The actual color of a garnet is due to the special combination of calcium, manganese, and iron.

Garnets make a great gift because they offer enough color varieties to suit everyone’s taste, as well as an outstanding price range to suit everyone’s pocketbook. Garnets are also a very durable stone ranking 7 to 7.5 on Mohs hardness scale. This makes the gemstone practical for rings and bracelets.

Wearing red garnets, because it is the color of blood, is thought to promote good circulation. Garnet is also said to give its wearer guidance in the night and protection from nightmares. Legend holds that Noah hung a large garnet in the arc for illumination.

Garnets have been mined close to home, in Roxbury, Connecticut! Besides the US, garnets are mined in Africa, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Brazil, Australia and India.