January Birthstone

The January birthstone is the gorgeous garnet, a gem that’s so much more special than most people realize. Technically, garnet is the term for a group of minerals that share a common structure. Because garnet is a family of gemstones, rather than a single gemstone, January babies have a stunning variety of colors to choose from. Garnets are most commonly red, but can also be pink, orange, vibrant green, yellow, purple, brown, and blue. There are even garnets that shift in color depending on the light.  

The beautiful diversity of garnet isn’t the only thing that makes this birthstone special. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the versatile January birthstone, including its characteristics, history, and meaning. 

Garnet Birthstone Characteristics 

Garnet is a term for a group of minerals with similar physical and optical properties. Five of these minerals are often used as gemstones in jewelry: pyrope, almandine, andradite, grossular, and spessartine. Each type of garnet comes in different colors, hence why there are so many shades within the garnet family. Almandine and pyrope garnets are red to purple in color, andradite is usually yellow to green, and spessartine is yellow to orange. Grossular can vary widely in color, as it can be red, orange, colorless, yellow, or green. 

Certain shades of garnet have earned unique names of their own. Vibrant green grossular is also called tsavorite, while yellow-orange to reddish orange grossular is called hessonite or the “cinnamon stone.” Vibrant green andradite, the rarest type of garnet, is known as demantoid. Mixed varieties of garnet also have distinct names. There’s rhodolite, a combination of pyrope and almandine, and malaya, a combination of pyrope and spessartine. 

Garnet ranges from 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. This means garnet is a fairly durable gemstone, but not as durable as sapphires, rubies, or diamonds, all of which can scratch garnet. The hardness of garnet makes it an excellent option for daily wear in earrings, brooches, and necklaces. Garnet gemstones can also be a good choice for fashion rings, but they aren’t a top option for everyday rings like engagement rings due to their lower durability. 

History of Garnet Birthstone

The word garnet comes from the Latin word “granatus,” which means “pomegranate.” Red garnets have long been associated with pomegranates due to their resemblance to pomegranate seeds. 

People have used garnets in jewelry and crafting since at least the Bronze age. Ancient Egyptian pharaohs wore garnet necklaces, ancient Romans wore garnet signet rings, and red garnet jewelry was very popular among nobles and clergy in the Middle Ages. Throughout history, garnets have also been used as abrasives in crafting and manufacturing, and they’re still used as abrasives in the modern age. 

In ancient times, Bohemia was the primary source of the world’s garnets. In the 19th century, Russia became an important source of demantoid garnets, which were a favorite of the legendary jeweler Carl Faberge. Today, many of the world’s garnets are found in African countries like Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Madagascar. Other notable sources of modern garnets include Southern California, Brazil, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka. 

Meaning of Garnet Birthstone

Many believe that garnet is a protective stone. This belief dates back to ancient history, when warriors wore them for protection. Ancient people also believed they could ease inflammatory diseases and soothe anger. Today, many people associate garnet with passion, fire, strength, and creativity. As the January birthstone, garnet is also associated with the zodiac signs Capricorn and Aquarius. 

Modern vs. Traditional January Birthstone

Birthstones have been popular for hundreds of years, but the stones associated with each month have changed over time. A notable birthstone development came in 1912, when the National Association of Jewelers released a list of modernized birthstones. While many modern birthstones are different from the more traditional options, the January birthstone has remained the same. Garnet is both the traditional and modern birthstone for the month of January.