Birthstone Color: Deep Red
One glance at the deep red seeds nestled inside of
a pomegranate fruit explains why the word "garnet"
comes from the Latin word "granatus," meaning "grain"
or "seed." This name was given to the garnet
because of its close resemblance to the succulent
pomegranate seed. But don't bite into a garnet,
because at Moh's hardness 6.5 to 7.5, it will definitely
damage the teeth!
There
are many myths and legends surrounding the garnet.
One Biblical legend is that Noah hung this gem on
the ark to light his way through the dark and stormy
nights of God's wrath. A Greek myth linked to
the garnet is the story of the young goddess of sunshine,
Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, god of the
underworld. Hades eventually released Persephone,
but not before he offered her some pomegranate seeds,
which guaranteed her return to him.
First
mined in Sri Lanka over 2,500 years ago, the garnet
is also found in Africa, Australia, India, Russia,
South America; and in the United States, in Arizona
and Idaho. Although most commonly known as a
red gemstone, the garnet comes in a variety of other
hues, including muted yellows, vibrant oranges, rosy
pinks, lime greens, and violets—a virtual bouquet
of colors. This diversity is due to unique combinations
of elements within each particular gem, such as iron,
calcium, and manganese.
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