January's Birthstone is a …. Garnet

January's Birthstone is a ….Garnet which may not sound as exciting as a ruby, emerald or sapphire, but there are actually some truly beautiful colours and stunningly clear clean stones in the Garnet family. January’s birthstone, the garnet, symbolises a light heart, loyalty and enduring affections

Garnet is believed to aid blood, heart and lungs and is thought to promote romantic love, a light heart, passion, sensuality, and intimacy. So, if you were thinking that your January birthstone is dull and unassuming, think again! 

We have so many pretty floral dresses in garnet red January's birthstone lovers are spoiled for choice!

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Garnet, is mined in a rainbow of colours. From the fiery orange of Mandarin Garnet to the rich bright green of Tsavorite Garnet and to the most widely recognised colour wine red of Pyrope Garnet, it is considered a great gift to symbolise friendship and trust. Our associate Lawson Gems has a range of lovely responsibly sourced Garnets from Madagascar, as well as birthstones for the other months. So either visit his website https://www.lawsongems.com/

or pop into his divine little shop on the gallery level of Brisbane Arcade, in the centre of Brisbane, it's an Alladins cave of gemstone treasure!

Garnets are commonly found as small pebbles in streams, where the igneous and metamorphic rocks that contain them have weathered away. They’re found in many places around the world, including North and South America, Australia, India, Asia and Spain.

Ancient warriors believed that garnets brought victory. The Crusaders used them as protection against wounds and accidents during their journeys.

In the former Czechoslovakia, evidence of garnet jewellery dating to the Bronze age was found. Garnet jewellery has also been discovered dating back to 3100 B.C. in Egypt, 2300 B.C. in Sumeria, and 2000-1000 B.C. in Sweden. Garnets were treasured in 3rd and 4th century Greece, and continued in popularity during Roman times. Across the Atlantic, Pre-Columbian Aztec and Native Americans also used garnets in their ornaments.

As with many precious stones, garnets were once believed to hold medicinal powers. In Medieval times, it protected its wearer against poisons, wounds and bad dreams, and cured depression. Red garnets relieved fever, and inflammatory diseases.

The Tsavorite is from Africa and is a stunning eye catching shade of green.

Garnets come from many different regions and countries. Bohemia was the primary source of the red pyrope garnets so popular during Victorian times. In 19^th century Russia, green demantoid garnets from the Ural Mountains were prized by the Russian royal family and used by the great jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé (1846–1920). Today, the African continent supplies much of the world’s garnet. Namibia is now producing demantoids, and most of the bright green tsavorites in the market come from Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar. Namibia and Tanzania are also key sources of the rich orange-to-yellow spessartine garnets. For many years, Southern California’s Little Three mining area was known for producing this spellbinding gem, the birthstone for January is also found in Madagascar, Myanmar, Brazil, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, among other countries.