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January’s birthstone is the garnet By EarthSky in Earth | Human World | January 1, 2017 Happy birthday January babies! Your birthstone is the garnet.
Photo via cobalt123 The birthstone for January is the garnet. The name “garnet” is derived from the Latin “granatum” meaning “pomegranate” because the crystals resemble the fruit’s red color and seed-like form. Most people think of the garnet as a red gemstone, but in fact, it exists in all kinds of colors – such as black – as well as many shades of red and green. It can even be colorless. The garnet’s variety of colors comes from metals such as manganese, iron, calcium, and aluminum. Some varieties even contain mineral fibers that produce the illusion of a four- or six-rayed star within the stone. Green garnets are most highly prized but are very rare. Emerald green and colorless stones are highly valued, followed by pure red garnets.
Image via USGS 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 contrast, Asiatic warriors believed that glowing garnets, used as bullets, inflicted more severe wounds. In 1892, during hostilities on the Kashmir frontier, the Hanza tribesmen fired on British soldiers with garnet bullets, believing them to be more effective than lead bullets. In the former Czechoslovakia, evidence of garnet jewelry dating to the Bronze age was found in ancient graves. Garnet jewelry 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, hemorrhages and inflammatory diseases. January’s birthstone, the garnet, symbolizes a light heart, loyalty and enduring affections. Find out about the birthstones for the other months of the year. January birthstone February birthstone March birthstone April birthstone May birthstone June birthstone July birthstone August birthstone September birthstone October birthstone November birthstone December birthstone Bottom line: If you were born in January, your birthstone is the garnet
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Join the discussion… Thomas Cannon • a year ago
Not that I really care even a little bit, but I think it's odd for the month of January, that not only is it one of the few months that only has 1 birthstone, but of the months that only have 1, it also has the gemstone that's the most common, hence worth the least. 1
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Sympathy Devil • 2 months ago
It’s my birthstone so whatever, but that doesn’t look like it. It’s supposed to look deep red like blood colored it gets confused with rubies.
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