January Birthstone - Garnet

January’s birthstone is the magnificent Garnet. A deep red semi-precious stone that is believed to bring peace, prosperity and good health to one’s home.

Fascinating facts about the Garnet:

Garnet signifies victory, truth, purity, friendship, faith and protection. The January birthstone is said to symbolize happiness, deep and enduring friendships. The stone has been associated with awareness, commitment, insight and regeneration, countering black magic, negative forces and dark energies.

The garnet is said to bring terrible fortune to those indulging in theft and deceit. The stone is said to bring terrible luck upon its wearer unless it is returned to its rightful owner. To the trustworthy, honest, righteous and hardworking, the stone is said to aid their fortunes and bestow harmony and peace in their lives. The green garnet is a symbol of prosperity and success. A garnet that has lost its luster is the harbinger of bad tidings.

The garnet is a durable stone, one that endures and holds its brilliance for many years. Good news…the garnet does not scratch or break easily.

The Garnet exhibits an interesting range of colors, the widest spectrum of hue for any stone. The stone however, rarely exhibits blue or tones of blue. The most common color for the Garnet is a rich, fiery red. Few garnets change color to reflect deeper hues in artificial light. Other colors of the garnet species include orange, green, yellow, brown, black, purple, pink and colorless. The rarest of these is the blue garnet, a precious pursuit of gem lovers.

The garnet is believed to be effective in healing health problems related to the heart, lungs and blood. Popular belief entails placing the garnet under one’s pillow to ward away the Evil Eye and prevent bad dreams from haunting an individual. The garnet is known to enhance spiritual healing and symbolizes perseverance as well as strength, reinforcing commitment and tenacity.