Garnets are a silicate family of minerals that have been mined for jewellery for many centuries and there are quite a few types of garnets, which are as follows:

• Pyrope
• Almandine
• Spessartine
• Grossular
• Andradite

Garnets can be found in all colours, with shades of red being the most popular, while blue garnets are the rarest colour.

Mohs Scale of Hardness

Garnets can range from 6.0-7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, depending on many variables. The atomic bonding in some species is higher, which explains the wide variation of hardness. If you are looking to create a stunning piece of jewellery, there are affordable loose garnet stone for sale from a leading custom jeweller. 

Red Garnets

By far the most popular colour is red, which comes from metamorphic rocks that are altered by extreme heat and pressure. The proper name for this species is Almandine, which is iron-aluminium, while it is also known as ‘oriental garnet’. Colour and clarity are the two factors that determine the value of red garnet and when you approach a custom jeweller, they can show you some stunning garnets that you can have cut and included in your engagement ring.

Pyrope

This is an aluminium silicate that is typically red in colour. There is one part of Colorado where deep red pyrope was found in abundance, while there have been significant finds in Wyoming. There is one variety of pyrope called rhodolite, which is almost a deep red/violet in colour and this is found in North Carolina.

Grossular

This can be a green form of garnet that contains aluminium and calcium. There were significant finds in Siberia, with some very deep green, which might be caused by the presence of ferrous iron. If you have your heart set on a green garnet engagement ring, search online for a leading custom jeweller, who would be able to acquire loose uncut grossular and design and handcraft the perfect engagement ring. Other colours of garnet include white, red, orange, yellow, purple, pink, grey and brown.

India

This is the country where the best garnets are found and there are many garnet mines across India, which has always been the traditional place for top jewellers to acquire the best garnets. This alluring precious stone has long been connected with protection; the Romans and Egyptians believed that red garnet offered spiritual protection.

Perfect For The Romantic Girl

If your partner loves the colour red, why not commission a stunning piece of garnet jewellery and surprise her? The custom jeweller is part of a global network for precious stone acquisition and they can work to your budget, whether it be an engagement ring or a necklace. If you have a firm idea of the style, that’s great, otherwise the jeweller can work with you to create something special and once the design is approved the jeweller can work his magic. All gemstones would have a GIA certificate and the workmanship is under guarantee.

Garnets are found in history all over the world and many women have a soft spot for thus unique stone. Talk to a leading custom jeweller about designing a piece for a special occasion and take the first steps to creating a unique piece of jewellery.