 Garnets
By Rhea Raghaven
The word garnet would most obviously bring to mind the color red, but admirers of this stone would be surprised to know that red is just one of the many colors this gem is available in. Due to its appearance to pomegranate seeds, garnet received its original Latin name from the word ‘granatus’.
 While the granular shape of garnets is constant the colors are varied and one can adorn oneself in colors ranging from the better known reds to orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black, pink and even colorless. The rarest and therefore by merit possibly the more expensive of the lot is the blue garnet which was discovered recently in  Madagascar. With a rich bank of colors available garnets offer every fashionista her trendy and stylish solution giving her a color for every day of the week. And what’s more garnets also offer customers rarities such as star garnets and color changing properties in daylight and artificial light only add to the persona of the stone.
 Garnets have enjoyed a fair share of popularity right from the bronze age where they were not only used as ornamental gems but also as abrasives to aid them in their work.
Even today there exists ample use for the lower grade garnets that are used in industrial set ups as abrasives. The higher grade garnets have a higher extent of light transmission giving them that magical allure that has won so many hearts.
Garnets by merit of their hardness are also one of the few gemstones that assure ease of wear and are rarely a cause of worry incase of sudden drops or blows. And with a reasonably high refractive index the stone also displays a high brilliance that is an asset on any piece of jewelry.
 While the name of the gemstone came from its similarity to the pomegranate seeds the gemstone has also been called the 'carbuncle stone' and to date is also called the Arizona ruby, Arizona spinel, Montana ruby or New Mexico ruby in the trade due to its similarity to ruby.
Right from the early ages garnets have had some sort of mysticism associated with them. In fact it is said that Noah’s ark was led by a lantern made from garnets. It was also a popular gemstone used in jewelry in Egyptian, Greek and Roman times. It lends in addition to its beauty a protective and calming influence on its bearer and was carried by travelers in ancient times. The energy of the gemstone is largely associated with power and prosperity garnet is used as a power stone. Many energy healers say that it supports the basic chakra which is associated with power and prosperity, consistency and perseverance. The stone is also held in high esteem in popular Christian belief as well as also a stone to protect one from inflammatory diseases and more.
All in all the garnet perhaps is one of the few gems that offers an all rounded set of benefits to their wearers besides their obvious beauty. A hardy yet brilliant and majestic gem, garnet is the latest fashionable addition to your closet and sure to set everyone green with envy.
 About the Author
Rhea Raghaven is a BeadBugle.Com staff writer that currently resides in France working on her master’s degree in International Marketing
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