Garnets: A Talisman for January

Garnets, however, cannot boast of hardness. Depending on the variety, the gemstone falls anywhere between 6.5 and 7.5 on the Mohs scale. However, this does not prevent it from being a favourite of the jewellery world. Its popularity is also helped by the global nature of its sourcing. Mining of this mineral is truly international and deposits are found as far afield as Russia, the Czech Republic, India, Canada, Brazil, Tanzania and Madagascar. However, one should not fall into the trap of thinking that, as a consequence of this geographic diversity, the market is oversaturated with these minerals. Tsavorites and spessartites are rarely found naturally, and are especially rare in high carats. As a consequence they are considered collectable stones.

It is due to their rarity that modern jewellers value garnet varieties that possess orange or green shades even more highly. The juiciness of their colour allows one to create stunning and indeed deeply memorable jewellery. Furthermore, thanks to their investment value, these stones are perfect for high art jewellery and allow for the expansion of one’s jewellery’s colour pallette. Fans of famous designers and brands will probably remember orange spessartine in the collections of Dior, Louis Vuitton, Chaumet, Van Cleef & Arpels, and the bright green demantoid in the works of IVY, Hemmerle, Dior, Theodoros, Faberge and JAR. This list is far from exhaustive, and the popularity of the gemstone in high fashion jewellery cannot be overstated. As you can see, the choice of garnets is huge in terms of colour and price range. On the one hand, it’s not hard to find something deeply personal amidst this ocean of choice, but on the other, it is quite possible to become paralysed by choice. To make life easier for you, readers, I have put together the garnet based jewellery that I think deserves your attention.