Garnet, The Passion Stone - Meanings And Properties
A mineral of the silicate group, garnet is a semi-precious stone that can be recognized by its most popular and attractive hue - a deep red-purple that inspires passion and vitality.
In jewelry, we most often find red garnet, but the stone can also be green, orange, red-orange, pinkish-red, or even blue.
The name "garnet" dates back to the 1200s, when the theologian Albrecht von Bollstadt, who associated the stone's appearance with pomegranate seeds, used the Latin term "granatum" to describe them.
The term refers to "seeds/granules".
Physical Properties Of Garnet
- General chemical formula: X3Y2(SiO4)3
- Crystallization system: cubic
- Color: frequently reddish brown, yellowish green
- Mohs hardness: 6-7,5
- Specific mass: 3,5 - 4,3 g/cm³
- Cracking: pearly, flaky
- Cleavage: weak
- Habitus: short crystals
- Refractive index: 1.714-1.888
- Birefringence: none
- Optical deviation: 2vz~
- Opacity: transparent, translucent
- Crystallization system: cubic
- Color: frequently reddish brown, yellowish green
- Mohs hardness: 6-7,5
- Specific mass: 3,5 - 4,3 g/cm³
- Cracking: pearly, flaky
- Cleavage: weak
- Habitus: short crystals
- Refractive index: 1.714-1.888
- Birefringence: none
- Optical deviation: 2vz~
- Opacity: transparent, translucent
Due to its high hardness, in addition to its use as a jewelry ornament, the garnet stone is used in various industries, being found in water jet cutting machines, as an abrasive, or in water filtering materials.
Types of Garnet
Although all garnets have approximately the same crystal structure, the chemical composition is different for each variety. Thus, within the mineral family, we find the following types of garnet:
- almandine - Fe3Al2(SiO4)3
- andradite (common garnet), red semi-precious stone - Ca3Fe2(SiO4)3
- grossular (calcium-aluminous garnet) - Ca3Al2(SiO4)3
- pyrope (magnesium-aluminous garnet) - Mg3Al2(SiO4)3
- melanite
- hessonite
- uvarovite (calcium-chromium garnet) - Ca3Cr2(SiO4)3
- spessartin (mangano-aluminous garnet) - Mn3Al2(SiO4)3
- andradite (common garnet), red semi-precious stone - Ca3Fe2(SiO4)3
- grossular (calcium-aluminous garnet) - Ca3Al2(SiO4)3
- pyrope (magnesium-aluminous garnet) - Mg3Al2(SiO4)3
- melanite
- hessonite
- uvarovite (calcium-chromium garnet) - Ca3Cr2(SiO4)3
- spessartin (mangano-aluminous garnet) - Mn3Al2(SiO4)3
Of the above types of garnet, only five are commercially important: almandine, andradite, grossular, pyrope, and spessartine.
How Is Garnet Formed?
Garnets found near the earth's surface are the result of high-pressure interaction between a sedimentary rock with a high aluminum content and a very strong source of heat.
Underground, it can be found in contact-metamorphic rocks, in magma chambers, and in lava flows, following volcanic eruptions.
Where Is Garnet Found?
Canada, Brazil, Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania, Madagascar, Kenya, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, China, and Russia are the countries where the largest garnet ores are found.
However, the mineral garnet can be found on all continents.
History And Legends Of Garnet
Since the Bronze Age, garnets have been used for ornamental purposes, in jewelry making, or as an abrasive.
The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians used them mainly for jewelry, but garnet ornaments could also be found among the Aztecs and Amerindians.
Royal families considered the stone to protect warriors in battle, while the Egyptians used it in rites of passage between worlds, believing it to have protective qualities in the afterlife.
Metaphysical Properties
Due to its origin in the underground vulcanic environment, garnet's spiritual meanings revolve around the elements of fire, passion, creativity, and strength.
The first of these, fire, is representative of inner transformations, especially that from one type of energy to another. It is therefore recommended for people going through a transformational journey or recovering from a loss.
Passion, the second element of garnet, points to love deities such as Venus, Cupid and, Aphrodite. In the past, men and women wore garnet jewelry to increase their level of attractiveness, leading us to believe today that the mysterious stone boosts self-confidence and interpersonal skills.
Creativity is connected with passion in the case of garnet.
Thus, it is believed that wearers of the semiprecious garnet stone have a greater openness to creative activities such as painting, drawing, writing, and music, for which they tend to develop passions.
The masculine energy that is specific to the garnet stone causes it to be spiritually charged with strength and courage.
On the physical plane, garnet is believed to have the ability to purify energies and revitalize the body, preparing it for spiritual evolution.
Garnets and Zodiac Signs
The group of zodiac signs for which the metaphysical effects of garnets are extremely intense are Taurus, Aquarius, Scorpio, and Leo.
In the Chinese zodiac, the sign of Mouse is associated with garnet.
We invite you to visit our online store, where you will surely find beautiful and interesting garnet jewelry.
