The Garnet Gemstone : The Stone of Love and Devotion

Color is most important when determining the value of garnet. Lively, bright colors usually command higher prices than gems that are too light or dark. But remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and color preferences are subjective. Of course, clarity, cut and carat weight also factor into the cost of a gem. Better quality garnets are usually eye clean and very high clarity (not many inclusions) under magnification.

Almandine and pyrope (and a mix of the two) are the most common types of garnet on the market. Their widespread availability makes them extremely affordable (under $40 a carat). Rhodolite, particularly in its reddish colors, and spessartite in its bright orange red, are more uncommon and therefore more valuable than pyrope and almandine. Spessartite is commonly called Mandarin garnet because in its best color it resembles mandarin oranges.

credit: http://carrerasjewelers.com/2009/12/warm-up-with-garnets/

The most rare and valuable of the garnet species are tsavorite (green grossular) and demantoid (green andradite). Tsavorite--in a lively, strong, bright green color--can command several hundreds of dollars per cart depending on quality and size. Demantoid, considered the queen of garnet, has exceptional brilliance, a higher dispersion than diamond, and a lustrous emerald-green color. A fine demantoid can command several thousands of dollars per carat depending on its size and quality. Demantoids are softer than other garnets, and must be protected from scratches and abrasions.

Demantoids have been very hard to find ever since its exclusive Russian sources dried up. A new Namibian mine has brought them back, but just barely. My Jewelz carries some excellent tsavorite and spessartite samples in our Gem Store. Garnet is one of the few natural gemstones not commonly enhanced to improve its color or clarity. However, garnet is often imitated. The laser industry has perfected some synthetic garnets with crystalline structures similar to the natural gem, but different in chemical composition (it's a non-silicate). Synthetic ruby and spinel are also used as a garnet simulant, as is glass, particularly in inexpensive birthstone jewelry.

Garnets are the birthstone for those born in January

Garnets are the birthstone for those born in January. It is also known as the gemstone for the second anniversary. People tend to think of garnets as being very deep red, but they are actually found in a wide color spectrum. In fact they are found in all colors except blue. Anyone who loves the sun baked colors of late summer will be attracted to this lovely stone.

Garnets are mined worldwide with many mines found in Madagascar, India, Brazil, the US, , and other locations. Unfortunately, not all garnets which are mined are good enough quality to use in jewelry.

The word garnet comes from the Latin word granatus. In nature, garnet crystals which were embedded in rock often had the color and shape of pomegranate seeds.

As with all gemstones, garnets have metaphysical connections. During the Middle Ages many believed that garnets would stop bleeding, since most are red. Some early cultures believed that garnets were helpful in preventing and curing infections and blood disorders.

Garnets have been known to Man for thousands of years. It is even said that Noah used a garnet lantern to help him steer the ark through the dark night. Early Egyptian, Greek and Roman times all have evidence of jewelry made from this beautiful gemstone.

info credit:
http://www.myjewelz.com/garnet.asp
http://vintagejewelrylane.com/information/birthstones.htm

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Garnet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The garnet group includes a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. The name "garnet" may come from either ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garnet

Garnets - english
Spectacular finds, especially in Africa, have enhanced the traditional image of the garnet with a surprising number of hues - even if red does continue to ...
http://www.gemstone.org/gem-by-gem/english/garnet.html

Garnets, Garnet Information, Garnet Jewelry and Garnet Gemstones
Hence, they are dubbed, “ant hill garnets.” While their color is superb, they are very dark in tone. Gems are rarely faceted in sizes over one carat because ...
http://www.gemsociety.org/info/gems/Garnet.htm

Encyclopedia of Gemstones - Garnet. Garnet's color, characteristics of Garnet, varieties of Garnet, mystical power of Garne
Garnet. Color, characteristics, varieties, the name's origin, from the stone history, mystical power, healing ability, deposits.
http://www.all-that-gifts.com/se/garnet.html

Garnet Gem - stones
Garnet Gem Stones Garnet Facetted Teardrop 6x9mm. US$ 4.00 Per Stone ... Garnet Gems Stones Garnet Square 7mm. US$ 2.50 Per Stone, Garnet Gems Stones ...
http://www.rashiinc.com/garnet_stones.htm

All about Birthstones or Birthday Stones

"Birthstones" or sometimes also called "Birthday Stones" is a gift of a precious material. Birthstones have been used for centuries to celebrate ones birth. Since different traditions have associated different gemstones with each month. The birthstones jewelry is the perfect gift for someone you love.

Gems or Gemstones have long played a rich role in many cultures, religions, and mythologies. Most are probably familiar with the "official" US birthstone list, compiled by jewelers in 1912, but this is just the latest of ways that gems have been associated with lists.

Centuries before jewelers were thinking about gems commercially, astrologers were ascribing heavenly associations to them, Hindus were connecting them to the energy centers of the body. The origin of the birthstone--denoting a specific gem to each month of the year--dates back to at least the first century. There is speculation that the twelve stones in the breastplate of the Jewish high priest may have had some bearing on the concept. Interpreters of the Bible's Book of Revelations, during the eighth and ninth centuries, began to ascribe to each of those gems attributes of the 12 apostles. Over the years, there have been many variations to this list.

The list of Birthstones by Cultures:

The Modern Birthstone chart is the official birthstone list from the American National Association of Jewelers, Jewelers of America. These birthstones were officially adopted in 1912. In October 2002, this list was updated to include Tanzanite for December's birthstone by the American Gem Trade Assoc. (AGTA). In the US, this birthstone list is the accepted list.

The Traditional birthstones are older society-based birthstones. The Traditional birthstone list shows some societal birthstone traditions, many going back to the 15th century. Many stores combine this Traditional Birthstone list and the Modern Birthstone list.

The Mystical Birthstone chart was obtained from a Tibetan book said to be over a thousand years old. Legend has it that these birthstones really help one overcome the obstacles of their birth month.

The Ayurvedic Birthstone list is from Ayurvedic Indian Medicine - an ancient type of medicine used for at least a thousand years. If you want a healing gemstone, you may wish to consider one of these.

Month	Modern Birthstone(s)	Traditional Birthstone(s)
January	Garnet	Garnet
February	Amethyst	Amethyst
March	Aquamarine	Bloodstone, Jasper
April	Diamond	Diamond, Sapphire
May	Emerald	Emerald, Agate
June	Moonstone, Pearl	Alexandrite, Emerald
July	Ruby	Ruby, Onyx
August	Peridot	Sardonyx, Carnelian
September	Sapphire	Sapphire, Peridot
October	Opal, Tourmaline	Tourmaline, Aquamarine
November	Topaz, Citrine	Citrine, Topaz
December	Turquoise, Blue Topaz	Zircon, Ruby

Month	Mystical Birthstone(s)	Ayurvedic Birthstone(s)
January	Emerald	Garnet
February	Bloodstone	Amethyst
March	Jade	Bloodstone
April	Opal	Diamond
May	Sapphire	Agate
June	Moonstone	Pearl
July	Ruby	Ruby
August	Diamond	Sapphire
September	Agate	Moonstone
October	Jasper	Opal
November	Pearl	Topaz
December	Onyx	Ruby

info credit:
http://www.jewelrymall.com/birthstones.html#birthstone chart
http://www.myjewelz.com/birthstones.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthstones
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Birthstones
Here are the modern (listed first) and traditional birthstones, and in some cases their commonly recognized substitutes. Click on the month name or gemstone ...
March Birthstone - Tourmaline - June Birthstone - August Birthstone
http://www.galleries.com/minerals/birthsto.htm

Birthstones - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A birthstone is a gift of a precious material (jewelry, mainly gemstones; themselves traditionally associated with various qualities) that symbolizes the ...
Definition - List of birthstones - History of birthstones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthstones

Birthstones
Learn about your Birthstone: Modern, Traditional, Ayurvedic, and Mystical Birthstones. Find beautiful birthstone jewelry.
http://www.jewelrymall.com/birthstones.html#birthstone chart

About Birthstones
Do you know your Birthstone? Our birthstone chart lists birthstones by month for modern and other traditions.
http://www.gems4friends.com/birthstones.html

About Birthstones, Birthstone Jewelry, Birthstones for Each Month
Learn about the birthstones for each month amd where to buy jewelry, list of gemstones for each month, colors, pictures, and more!
http://www.about-birthstones.com/

Basics of Gems Knowledge

image credit: http://www.shelbygems.com/

COLOUR

Not surprisingly, color is the key factor with colored gemstones.

A common misperception in judging gems is that people assume the darker the color, the better the stone. This isn't true: color can be too dark, as with some sapphires that look more black than blue. If a gem's color is overly dark, it tends to be subdued and lifeless.

A much better rule of thumb is the brighter, richer and more vivid the color, the better. Within each gemstone variety it is the clear, medium-tone, very intense and saturated basic color that is most preferred. Muted colors or colors between hues, which some might find very attractive, are usually less expensive.

Always remember to look at the color in different kinds of light, since the light spectrum can affect gem color greatly.

CLARITY

A good cut, while it may not cost more, can add or subtract quite a lot of beauty to a stone. A well-cut, faceted gemstone reflects light evenly across its surface area when held face up.

If the stone is too deep and narrow, areas will be dark. If it is too shallow and wide, parts of the stone will be washed out and lifeless.

CARAT WEIGHT

Gemstones are generally sold by weight rather than size. Some gems are denser than others, so the same weight stone may be a different size!

The carat weight will also affect the price. Large gemstones are usually rare, marking up the price per carat of the stone.

PERCEPTION

For every gemstone, pricing follows common sense: the better the final visual effect of all the quality factors of the stone, the more valuable that stone is. But different varieties of gemstones have different price ranges. This is where the perception factor comes in.

Some varieties are lower in price because they are readily available; some, because the color isn't very popular (brown and yellow stones, for example); some, because the material is relatively soft; and some, because they have all the right stuff but no one knows it.

There are plenty of examples of beautiful, rare gemstones costing less than gems that are not so rare -- merely because they possess a funny name, or people confuse them with an inexpensive variety, or they are of a gem variety few of us are acquainted with.

In the past, the gemstone business was dominated by the big three: ruby, emerald and sapphire. These often are called precious stones, a term probably derived from the French label, "pierres precieuse."

When other gemstone varieties began to gain popularity, the jewelry industry got tired of calling them "colored gemstones other than ruby, emerald and sapphire." Unfortunately, the term they made up for these other stones was "semi-precious." Too bad the French terminology was not followed in this instance, or these other stones would have been known as "fine gemstones," which is a much better and more accurate term.

The problem with "semi-precious," and the reason the jewelry industry essentially banned its use, is that it's a misnomer. Rubies, emeralds, and sapphires can sell for less than $100 per carat, while a fine Paraiba tourmaline, for example, can sell for $20,000 per carat.


info credit: http://www.myjewelz.com/basics.asp

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Best Cut Gems teaches Gem Knowledge, making you an informed buyer.
Best Cut Gems provides you with news and information about gemstones. Artcles on colored gemstones and gemstone related educational articles.
http://www.bestcutgems.com/gemknowledge

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General Guides and Info>>>Gems Guide
Gems are basically counterparts of other existing items in the game, but unlike their counterparts, the six basic gems can be bought at the Gem Exchange
http://www.angelfire.com/games3/clanskyriders/guides/gems.html

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