Nov 16, 2023

The Complete Guide to Buy a Garnet Engagement Ring

If you have noticed it yet, we have...And the reality is that unique engagement rings are the rave nowadays. Gone are the days when diamond was almost always the ring choice or you had to choose whatever the jewelers offered. Today, there are just so many options that will inspire you and tickle your fancy. Let’s take a look at a special gemstone type for an engagement ring – Garnet!

What is Garnet?

Garnet is the birthstone of those born in January and has been used for hundreds of years, primarily as a gemstone and abrasive back in the Bronze Age. The crystal-forming gem is often mistaken for Ruby, and that’s because of its deep red color. But, Garnet can be found in many other colors, which are mostly shades of red, like orange, tangerine, purple, and brown. A very rare variety of garnet is the blue garnet. Garnets make outstanding jewelry stones and the popular red garnet is sure to turn heads. This type has a high refractive index, which allows it to emit light in the dark. Here are a few things about garnet that you should know before buying.

History

Garnet is one of the world’s oldest gems and the earliest reports of where they are found is in the Nile Delta, Egypt, in 3100BC. Egyptian artisans made beads and hand-wrought jewelry with garnet. It was used as an abrasive in the Bronze Age. The gem’s name is derived from the Latin word “granatum” meaning ‘dark red’ and reminded of pomegranate pearls.

Meaning and Significance

The ancients also believed garnets could light the night sky because of the brilliance garnets exude at night. Garnet was also believed to prevent nightmares and travelers traveling far from home used to carry the stone around as protective amulets against misfortune. For the January born, Garnet is a fixer as it can bring calm and serenity in chaotic and troubled times.

Garnet Varieties

While Garnet is predominantly known for its red hue, with the ruby-like Garnets being the most popular, they can also be found in other interesting eye-catching colors like brown, burgundy, orange, yellow, green, purple, and blue. These colors are typically emphasized by the transparency and clarity of the stone.

Garnet is Durable

Garnets are fairly hard stones, coming at 7.5 to 8.5 on the Mohs scale, which measures the hardness of a stone. They are durable enough for wedding rings and engagement rings but must be cared for especially as they can easily scratch or chip.

Garnets Cannot be Treated

A lot of gemstones nowadays are being treated by gemstone traders to improve on color or some other aspect. But Garnet stands out as one gem that is resistant to color changes through heat treatment. When you see a garnet, you are seeing its real color.

Evaluating Your Garnet

It is important to evaluate a garnet gemstone properly before buying. This means taking the 4Cs: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight into consideration. The most popular choice of Garnet for rings and jewelry is the red Garnet. However, there are other options that will suit your taste. When it comes to gem cut, any type of cut works perfectly with the red garnet, but for less popular ones like tsavorites, a special cut is required to maintain carat weight.

Most garnets are clear and transparent as they have very few impurities. Impurities are mainly found in orange garnets, and these are desired for the star effect caused by the impurities, a phenomenon known as asterism.

Finally, Garnet carat weight is determined by its cut size. This means the larger the size cut, the more the carat weight, and vice versa.

Caring for Garnets

To ensure the longevity of your garnet engagement ring, you have to use them fairly and keep them separately in a soft cloth or padded box to avoid scratching or chipping. Use only warm soapy water and a microfiber or other soft cloth to clean Garnet. Remember, to take your garnet engagement ring to a jeweler yearly for inspection and cleaning.

Conclusion

Now is a great time for engagement ring shopping because the options are so many compared to a decade or so ago. Whatever you have in mind, there is sure to be something like it. If you’ve imagined a beautiful red-hued center stone on your ring, then take a peek at the beautiful garnet engagement rings we offer. As you can now tell, garnet is a pretty durable stone, and if used carefully, can last you forever. Garnet’s small but eye-catching appearance makes them fine engagement ring pieces. They are the quintessential option for the bride who wants to be distinctive and non-conventional. Could that be you?

With all that in mind, if you're looking for something interesting that will really stand out, a unique, vintage engagement ring may be the way to go. Read on to shop our favorite picks.

Vintage pear cut red garnet engagement ring solid 14k yellow image 1