Garnet's Many Colors, Meaning, and History

When you think of the garnet gemstone, you generally think of a reddish-hued stone, because that is its most common color. It is known as the birthstone for those born in January, and it is also the gemstone associated with the second wedding anniversary. Because red is its most common color, it gets its name from the Latin word, granatum, meaning pomegranate, because this shiny red jewel resembles the fruit's shiny red edible seeds. And although most people associate a garnet with a deep red color, they actually come in a variety of colors, including red, brown, purple, green, and orange.

Garnet's Many Colors

Garnet's most widely known color is red, because the majority of stones mined are found in this color.  But due to the way these stones form, and their geographic location, they each take on a different shade of red, or in some cases, other colorations.

Almandine Garnets are the earth's most abundant type of garnet, known for their deep red to an almost reddish-brown color, which comes from their high iron content.  They have been mined and set in jewelry since ancient Egypt (3500 BCE).  Roman knights used to wear them as a protective talisman when going into battle.  The Victorians favored their deep red color, as it symbolized courage, loyalty, and passion.

Rhodolite garnets have a purplish-red to raspberry-pink color, and they appear to glow from within due to their clarity and saturation.  They were first found in North Carolina in the late 1800's, making them a relatively new gemstone. Their name comes from the Greek word, rhodon, meaning rose, due to their rosy color, and they are associated with love and compassion. 

Orissa garnets are bright, lush, rosy Bordeaux-colored gems that sometimes seem to change color right before your eyes due to the way the light hits them. They are mined in only one place- Orissa, India.  They are associated with protection, love, hope, and healing. 

Tsavorite garnet is not typically what one would think of as a garnet.  This striking, vivid green gemstone is one of the rarest and most coveted types of garnet in the world. Its color comes from the same elements that color emeralds, vanadium and chromium, however, tsavorite garnet is harder and more brilliant than emeralds. Because of its intense green color, this garnet is often linked to the earth's natural energies, and is said to symbolize renewal, vitality, and prosperity. 

Spessartite garnet, often called the "garnet of the sun," resembles the color of the gemstone, citrine, due to its vivid, fiery orange-red hue. It is generally found in Namibia, Nigeria, Madagascar, and Tanzania, and it is said to symbolize vitality, creativity, and confidence.  

Garnet Legend and Folklore

Legends and folklore name garnets as one of the most ancient talismans. These beautiful stones have quite a history that spans over 5,000 years. They were considered prized gemstones as far back as the Bronze Age (that’s about 2300 BC) and were also a popular gemstone used in the jewelry of Ancient Rome, and are commonly found in Egyptian burials.

Garnets were not only a sought-after ornamental gem, but they were also desired for their symbolism, strong protective and manifestation energies, and love-encouraging properties.

During the Renaissance, garnets were considered a symbol of wealth and fertility, and it was quite common to have garnets set in signet rings, which were used by many wealthy families as seals for personal documents. The ring would be pressed into hot wax to form a stamped seal.

Garnets were also commonly used as protection stones. Parting friends or lovers would give each other a talisman set with a garnet because it was believed that it would ensure the safety of each other while parted, and assure that they would meet again in the future. It was believed that garnets possessed highly charged positive vibrations that would repel negative and harmful energies, protecting the wearer from harm.

Garnets are also considered a manifestation stone. It is said that garnets represent the primordial fire of the ultimate creation of the earth and all that exists, and therefore have the power to help realize one’s dreams and accomplish goals by encouraging positive thinking.

Last, but not least, the one belief that has held through to this day, is that the garnet’s red color has made it a gemstone symbolizing love and commitment. These stones are said to encourage true love and true friendship, and help attract more love into one’s life. This is also a main reason why garnets are now associated with Valentine’s Day.

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