The Colors and Meanings of Garnet Gemstones

Though commonly found in red or brown, garnets occur in a rainbow of colors.

Garnets are fairly common gemstones used in jewelry. They are found naturally in the United States, Africa and Eastern Europe. Though garnet gemstones have symbolic meaning attached to them, their significance is unrelated to their color.

Colors of Garnet

The most common color for garnet is a dark red or brown, but garnets naturally exist in a wide variety of colors. They can be pink, green, yellow, orange, colorless, black or purple. The red and brown garnets most often found in jewelry are a composite of the pyrope and almandine species of garnet.

Species and Color

There are seven types of garnet: almandine, andradite, demantoid, grossularite, pyrope, spessartite and uvarovite. However, stones can be a combination of these species, which means the number of garnet types is quite large. Pyrope and spessartite garnets are red; andradites are green or red; demantoid are green; almandine are red, dark purple or brown; grossularite occurs in many light colors, but not red or brown; and uvarovite is brilliant green.

Meaning

The garnet is known as the birthstone of January and is also the gemstone for the second year of marriage. This gem also can symbolize purity, faithfulness, truth, commitment, awareness, insight and regeneration. The symbolic meanings are connected to garnets in general, not to a specific type or color of garnet.

References

• Gem Society: Garnet
• Gemstone Guide: Garnet
• Minerals USGS: Garnet
• Birthstones.org: Garnets