How do I identify Garnet?

Garnet can be identified by its hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, Red color, Vitreous to resinous luster, Isometric crystal system. Look for these key characteristics when examining specimens.

What color is Garnet?

Garnet typically appears in Red, orange, yellow, green, purple, pink, brown, black, colorless. Color can vary depending on impurities and formation conditions.

Garnet has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a relatively hard mineral suitable for jewelry.

Garnet

A variety of Minerals

Uncommon

What is Garnet?

Garnets ( /ˈɡɑːrnɪt/) are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different species are pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular (varieties of which are hessonite or cinnamon-stone and tsavorite), uvarovite and andradite. The garnets make up two solid solution series: pyrope-almandine-spessartine (pyralspite) and uvarovite-grossular-andradite (ugrandite).

Etymology & Origins

The word garnet comes from the 14th‑century Middle English word gernet, meaning 'dark red'. It is borrowed from Old French grenate from Latin granatus, from granum ('grain, seed'). This is possibly a reference to mela granatum or even pomum granatum ('pomegranate', Punica granatum), a plant whose fruits contain abundant and vivid red seed covers (arils), which are similar in shape, size, and color to some garnet crystals. Hessonite garnet is also named 'gomed' in Indian literature and is one of the 9 jewels in Vedic astrology that compose the Navaratna.

Healing Properties

Considered to be connected with creativity and love, garnet is a protective stone that can be used as a talisman. It is said that its best virtues, among many, are grounding and energizing, but this stone is also known to balance energy and brings courage. With its amazing healing properties, it affects all chakras in the body.

Optical Properties

Refractive Index: 1.714-1.888
Pleochroism: None to weak
Optical Character: Isotropic
Dispersion: 0.024-0.028

Discover Values

Rarity

3.8out of 5.0

76%

Popularity

4.5out of 5.0

90%

Excellent

Beauty

4.6out of 5.0

92%

Excellent

Cultural Value

3.9out of 5.0

78%

Collection Value

4.2out of 5.0

84%

Perfect for jewelry making and display

This stone excels in popularity, beauty.

Garnet Market Value Calculator

Estimate the market value of Garnet using size, quality, and finish. This preview calculator is for quick context and is not a formal appraisal.

Garnet Localities Map

See where Garnet is found with a localities map, collecting zones, and geology context. Generate a sample map preview below.

Map preview

North ZoneCentral RidgeSouth Basin

The Meaning

Garnet is one of the oldest known gemstones. It's a birthstone of January and it's associated with the zodiac signs of Capricorn and Aquarius. According to the Jewish legend, Noah bought garnet to the Ark to use it as a source of light. For this same reason, travelers carried garnet to guide them on their journeys. The stone was commonly used by Anglo Saxons and Vikings as a talisman during battles as they believed it improved their ability to fight.

Key Characteristics

Characteristics of Garnet

Garnet species are found in every colour, with reddish shades most common. Blue garnets are the rarest and were first reported in the 1990s. Garnet species' light transmission properties can range from the gemstone-quality transparent specimens to the opaque varieties used for industrial purposes as abrasives. The mineral's luster is categorized as vitreous (glass-like) or resinous (amber-like).

Composition of Garnet

Garnets are nesosilicates having the general formula X3Y2(SiO4)3. The X site is usually occupied by divalent cations (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn) and the Y site by trivalent cations (Al, Fe, Cr) in an octahedral/tetrahedral framework with [SiO4] occupying the tetrahedra. Garnets are most often found in the dodecahedral crystal habit, but are also commonly found in the trapezohedron habit as well as the hexoctahedral habit. They crystallize in the cubic system, having three axes that are all of equal length and perpendicular to each other, but are never actually cubic because, despite being isometric, the {100} and {111} families of planes are depleted. Garnets do not have any cleavage planes, so when they fracture under stress, sharp, irregular (conchoidal) pieces are formed.