Garnet Rings

Antique & Vintage Garnet Rings

Selection of garnet rings from yesteryear.

Derived from the Latin word Granatum, meaning “seedless,” the garnet gemstone, which loosely resembles the seeds of a pomegranate fruit, has been a popular stone for many ancient civilizations all over the world. Garnet has been worn ornamentally, as well as used as weaponry and as an abrasive.

While most of the garnets produced in the world today originate in Africa, the gemstone can be found in other geographic areas as well. These areas include Australia, India, Russia, Brazil, the United States, and Turkey.

The four most common types of garnets are classified based on color patters they exhibit. Almandine garnets are red to violet red. Spessartite garnets are variations of yellow, rose, or orange to reddish-brown. Rhodolite garnets are deep red. Grossular garnets are variations of white, yellow-green, brownish-red, orange, or black.

One distinctive physical feature of the garnet gemstone is its ability to change color shades. A garnet that appears blue-green in daylight, for example, appears purple in incandescent light. This color changing phenomenon is due to the gemstone’s increased amount of vanadium.

In terms of the holistic value of garnet, the stone is often regarded as one that promotes successful business endeavors as well as an enhancement of faith, truth, constancy, and creative energy. It is often reputed to be both an energizing as well as a regenerative stone, in addition to one that represents very strong, intense feelings. Highly spiritual as well as sensual, the garnet is believed to dispel melancholy with its property of enduring loyalty and faithful constancy.

The gemstone’s potential as a medicinal aid has been recognized since the Crusades, when it was worn as a protective talisman. In general, garnets are thought to protect against blood, heart, and lung infections. Red garnet is specifically invoked for ailments relating to the thyroid and spleen.

Garnets are one of the most plentiful gemstones. They are utilized not only in pieces of jewellery, but also in industrial markets. Necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, brooches, and pendants are all made with garnet gemstones. In addition, garnets are also used as abrasives.

Valued not only for their beauty, garnets are also recognized for their holistic value, potential as medicinal aids, as well as for their strength. Throughout the centuries, they have remained emblematic of protective strength as well as deep affection, and their popularity continues today as a result.