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Section: January

January — Garnet

Garnet — a mineral group, not a single species

At Mohs 7 to 7.5 garnet sits just below quartz-scratching hardness. Occasional wear; it will scuff if it is knocked against harder stones.

3 pieces in this month, ordered by how often they can sensibly be worn — the most forgiving first.

Mineralogy

Garnet is a group of silicate minerals sharing one crystal structure and varying in composition. The dark red stones sold as January's birthstone are usually almandine or pyrope. Mohs 7 to 7.5, no cleavage, refractive index 1.72 to 1.89 depending on species.

What the trade does to it

Red garnet is one of the few coloured stones that reaches the counter untreated as a matter of routine. Every garnet on this site is declared untreated. If that ever changes, the piece will say so.

Documented history

Garnet has appeared on the modern birthstone list for January since the 1912 standardisation. Garnet beads have been recovered from Bronze Age burials across Europe and the Near East, and cloisonné garnet inlay is a defining feature of early medieval metalwork.

January pieces

From £75 · all prices include VAT

Nothing in January reaches Mohs 8, so no piece in this month is graded for daily wear. If the piece needs to be worn every day without special care, look at April, July or September instead. We would rather say that than sell you something that will not survive the way you intend to wear it.

Wear grades in this month

  • Suitable for daily wear

    0 pieces in January

    • Remove before contact sports and heavy manual work
    • Remove before swimming pools and hot tubs — chlorine attacks the metal, not the stone

  • Occasional wear — avoid knocks

    3 pieces in January

    • Remove before gym equipment, gardening, DIY and washing up
    • Do not stack against harder stones, which will abrade this one
    • Avoid sudden temperature change

  • Delicate — special occasions only

    0 pieces in January

    • Remove before any physical activity — knocks will chip this stone
    • Keep away from perfume, hairspray, cosmetics and hand sanitiser
    • Avoid sudden temperature change and prolonged dry heat
    • No ultrasonic tank, no steam, no soaking

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