Happy New Year and Happy Birthday January babies!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and wish all of you a very Happy New year! Happy Birthday to all of you born this month! You are all blessed with one of the most sultry of gems as your birthstone.Garnet is both the traditional and modern birthstone for the month of January. The pretty, deep red gem is so luscious ...who needs another one? Well, variety is the spice of life, so if you are not a big fan of the blood red Almandine Garnet, you can choose a garnet color from just about any in the rainbow.

There is the pretty pinkish red to purple variety of Rhodolite or the orange of the mandarin garnet. If you favor brown tones, then go with Hessonite. Green lovers will lust for the multiple shades of Tsavorite and Grossular Garnet, which are also available in golden and yellow tones. Don't forget the brilliant sparkle in Andradite, a black Garnet.
There are just too many Garnet varieties to go into detail here, so I will just talk about the popular red Almandine Garnets. The name Garnet comes from the Latin granatum malum which means pomegranate, the fruit that bears juicy red seeds. Through history, Garnets have been thought to promote healing - especially with blood disorders. It is also considered the protective gem of travelers. A gift of garnet is a symbol of love and the desire for a loved one's safe travel and speedy homecoming.



If you would like more info on the jewelry pieces featured in this article, just click on the pictures.

-Ann Marie