January
Garnet has a rich red color and is the official birthstone of January. It is also used as a 2nd anniversary stone.
GEMSTONE
Red Garnet has had a long history of use in jewelry. Ancient Egyptian necklaces have been found dating over 5000 years old. Although Garnet is typically known for being various shades of red, there are rarer forms that come in blue, green, yellow, orange and purple.
LORE
In Greek mythology it is said that Persephone, the goddess of sunshine was once captured by Hades, the god of the underworld. Before releasing her, Hades wanted to ensure that she would come back to him and gave her some pomegranate seeds. Interestingly, the word garnet comes from the latin "granatus", which means seed.
SCIENTIFIC FACTS
Mineral Group: Garnet
Colors: All
Refractive Index: 1.714-1.888
Birefringence: None
Specific Gravity: 3.47-4.15
Mohs Hardness: 6.5-7.5