Garnet : a friendly and fruitful birthstone for January

Google “the history of birthstones” and the results are wide and varied. Everything from Middle Age fortune tellers trying to control superstitious people (of which there were many during those days) by having them wear certain gems, to biblical history that eventually became linked to the twelve zodiac signs. Then in 1912 the National Association of Jewelers finalized the gemstone list that is used to this day and along with it, the specific traits that each stone is thought to signify.

Garnet was chosen for January's birthstone.

The name garnet comes from the Latin word granatum which means seed and coupled with the stone’s color is said to resemble a pomegranate's hue. The first reference to garnets as a valued gemstone can be found in historical documents over 5,000 years old and because of its deep scarlet shading, garnets during that time in history were associated with war and victory. Today the red garnet symbolizes love, passion, friendship and loyalty which mesh perfectly with the personality traits of someone with a January birthday. Capricorns are said to be romantic, loyal, sensitive and ambitious.

Garnets are mined all over the world and are found in a variety of colors. While the typical January birthstone garnet is almost always deep red, your birthstone just like your personality should sparkle with individualism, so don’t be afraid to take a little liberty with convention and select a green, yellow or orange garnet.