Who should wear a garnet stone?
The garnet stone leaves no one indifferent. It attracts people not only with its mesmerizing sparkle and pure color, but also with its magical and healing properties. The small crystals in appearance resemble the dark red grains of the fruit of the same name. However, the mineral is characterized not only by red shades. In nature there are stones of white, yellow, green, blue, purple and even black colors. All types of garnet have the same physical properties and are used primarily in jewelry. 
History and characteristics of the mineral
Pomegranate has been known to mankind for tens of centuries. The ancient Greeks, Romans and Persians were the first to create jewelry from it. In the Northern Black Sea region, garnet crystals were very popular among the Scythians. The population of Ancient Hellas gave the sparkling gem the name “anthrax”, which translated means “coal”. The Romans called the gemstone carbuncle, and the gemstone was called garnet, bechet and vermin. 
The name “garnet” was given to the stone in the second half of the 1803th century by the German alchemist Albert Magnus. However, in Russia for a long time the mineral bore the name “lal”, which united all the bright red gems (garnet, spinel, tourmaline and ruby). In Europe, the beauty of the stone went unnoticed for a long time. Only in the XNUMXth century did craftsmen begin to use it as jewelry and ornamental material. Since XNUMX, garnets began to mean not individual minerals, but also a whole group of precious and semi-precious stones with similar properties. 
Garnets are minerals of the silicate class, which are characterized by the following features:
- glass shine;
- cubic system;
- uneven fracture;
- white line color;
- imperfect cleavage;
- average level of hardness on the Mohs scale (6,5-7,5).
Despite the fact that the physical properties of all stones belonging to the garnet group are identical, the chemical composition of their crystals is different. Depending on the impurities present in the mineral, its color range can vary from completely transparent and white to purple and black.
: Known and rare varieties of gems
Today, the garnet group includes 14 types of natural minerals. The most famous of them include:
- Pyrope is a transparent and translucent silicate of predominantly blood red color. Occasionally there are examples of pink, purple and orange-red shades. Transparent pyropes are precious stones used in the jewelry industry. Translucent specimens are not of particular value and are used as an abrasive material. Pyropes are mined from magnesium-containing ultrabasic rocks. Their largest deposits are located in Yakutia and South Africa.
- Almandine is a common variety of garnet with a characteristic red or red-violet color. Individual samples can be colored cherry, purple and brown-red. Black minerals are occasionally found. Only transparent almandines used in the production of fine jewelry are precious. They are mined in Ceylon. Less valuable rocks were formed in the shale and gneiss rocks of Finland, India, Mongolia and Madagascar. In the Russian Federation, large deposits of almandine have been discovered on the Kola Peninsula.
- Spessartine is a stone that comes in rich red, pink, reddish-orange, yellowish-orange or brown colors. It differs from other varieties in its specific oily sheen. Used in jewelry and in demand by collectors. Stones matching this description have been found in Ceylon, Madagascar, Italy, Norway, Brazil, Mexico and the USA. In Russia, deposits of the mineral are located in Karelia, Siberia and the Urals.
- Grossular (otherwise known as gomed, hessonide) is a representative of the group of garnets with a high content of aluminum and calcium. It can be golden yellow, green, brown, reddish pink. A variety of this type of gem is transparent or white garnet (leucite), which is extremely rare in nature and highly valued by collectors. Grossular is a semi-precious stone whose quality is determined by its brilliance, transparency and purity of color. Mined in limited quantities in Kenya and Tanzania.
Although garnet is cheaper than other gems, some of its specimens can compete in price with the most expensive gems on the planet. One such example is a star garnet – a transparent crystal, inside of which, when illuminated, a star-shaped figure appears with rays diverging in different directions. A similar optical effect (asterism) can be obtained by special processing of the mineral to form a curved convex surface.
The star crystal looks so bewitching that it has long gained fame as a mystical stone.
The rarest variety of crystal is the blue garnet, which was first discovered at the end of the 20th century in Madagascar. Stones of this color are today mined in limited quantities in Kenya, Tanzania, Norway, the USA and Ceylon. The unusual color is not their only feature. In natural light, green, blue and violet reflections appear on the surface of blue crystals. If you place minerals in a room with artificial lighting, they will sparkle with red and purple tints.
Use of stone in medicine
The healing properties of the mineral have been known since time immemorial. Among our ancestors, the stone had extremely positive characteristics and was used for the treatment and prevention of many diseases. Before campaigns, medieval crusading knights always put a ring on their finger, into which a red garnet was inserted. They believed that the decoration would protect them from serious illnesses and injuries, and after completing the campaign, it would help them return home unharmed. The Slavs considered pomegranate the patron saint of women in labor. The stone was left at the head of the woman’s bed so that she would quickly and safely be relieved of her burden. In India, the mineral has been used for thousands of years as a general tonic. According to the residents of this country, it has the power to restore a person’s immunity and protect him from all kinds of ailments.
Beneficial properties and contraindications, or rather the lack thereof, have made pomegranate one of the most popular healing minerals today. For diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy), representatives of alternative medicine recommend wearing a silver jewelry with garnet crystals around the neck. A gold ring with a red mineral placed on the middle finger of your right hand will help you get rid of migraines and cure a sore throat. A blue garnet in a silver frame will help lower body temperature during a cold or viral disease. For this purpose, it is best to use a ring or bracelet.
In addition to the cases of the listed ailments, garnet jewelry is recommended to be worn for gastrointestinal, endocrine and dermatological diseases. The stone will help with allergic reactions, stress and depression. It has the ability to quickly heal wounds and restore the body after illnesses.
The magical abilities of the mineral
The magical properties of garnet stone deserve special attention, as they have a direct impact on the energy of its owner. Esotericists and magicians describe this mineral as a means of helping a person gain power over the people around him. In some countries, rings with red stones are very popular among unmarried girls. It is believed that a young lady whose finger is decorated with such jewelry will be able to easily meet her soulmate and experience happiness in love. Black garnet allegedly allows you to influence the consciousness of other people at a distance and communicate with representatives of the afterlife.
The garnet gemstone has powerful energy and is ideal as an amulet for an active, passionate, sociable person who works with full dedication. It will give its owner happiness, luck and success, protect him from troubles and help him find the right way out of difficult situations. But magic does not advise people who are lazy, indecisive and lacking initiative to wear items with pomegranate. The mineral endowed with strong energy will exhaust them and lead to physical and nervous exhaustion.
When using a stone for magical purposes, a person needs to pay attention to its color: a red garnet will help its owner find peace of mind, become calm, attentive and reasonable. The green mineral has a positive effect on those whose strong point is not punctuality. He will teach them how to manage time correctly and thereby increase their authority in society.
Regardless of color, garnet stone will have a beneficial effect on the lives of creative people. It will energize writers, composers, artists and sculptors and inspire them to create new masterpieces.
Jewelry with garnet should not be worn daily, as constant bodily contact with the stone can lead to loss of strength. If a person begins to have problems sleeping, or he simply wants to rest, he needs to give up pomegranate jewelry for several days, hiding it in a dark place.
Choice by zodiac sign
Who is suitable for pomegranate according to the horoscope? According to astrologers, this stone is ideal for energetic and tireless Capricorns. The mineral also favors Leo and Sagittarius. Representatives of these zodiac signs can wear stones of any shade. But when choosing a garnet, Aquarius and Libra should give preference to green stones. Pisces and Cancers should completely abandon the use of the mineral as an amulet. For people born under these signs, it will deprive them of peace and lead to physical fatigue.
In order for a garnet to fully exhibit its magical properties, it is necessary to choose a stone as an amulet that has not previously had an owner. Such a mineral has powerful energy and will become a reliable amulet for its owner. If a person inherited jewelry with a gem, it must be cleaned by holding it under running cold water for several minutes. After the procedure is completed, the product can be worn without fear. From this moment on, his energy will work in favor of his new owner.
Nowadays, garnet is not a specific gemstone, but a whole group of minerals. Types of garnet are united by the silicate origin of the stone, and they are divided depending on the cationic salt-forming component. The composition and crystal structure of garnet determine certain properties of the stone.
History of origin
People have always created amazing legends about where the garnet gemstone came from. There was a version that the small pebbles were nothing more than droplets of water that froze and were stained with the blood of the soldiers who fell on the ground.
In Mongolian culture, it was believed that it was solidified dragon blood that bestowed strength before battle. It became a symbol of victory for the crusaders, who always took a pomegranate product with them when they went on campaigns.
Among the peoples inhabiting the Hindustan Peninsula, the mineral was used to make weapons, enhancing its deadly power.
The properties and meaning of the stone also differ among different peoples and different religions.
Christians are sure that on the ark that Noah built, the lamp was made of this very material.
Among the Persians, this “royal stone” was used to create images of rulers.
And the Mayans and Aztecs used dark red crystals to decorate the ritual clothes of their priests.
Varieties of pomegranate
What color a garnet will be depends on the predominant element of a particular stone. The colors of garnets can be absolutely any. The most famous varieties of garnet are listed below, indicating the predominant types of stone color and composition features.
Almandine is lilac-red, with a purple or violet tint. The color is due to the combination of iron and aluminum in the composition. The most common of the whole group. The name comes from a corruption of the Asian “Alabanda” – the place from which cut stones were brought.
Hessonite is orange, yellow or red-orange.
A ferruginous variety of Ceylon brown grossular.
Grossular – yellow-green. Thanks to its unusual color, it received a name derived from grossularia (Latin for “gooseberry”). The composition is dominated by calcium and aluminum.
Tsavorite is a variety of grossular, bright green “emerald” in color.
Demantoid – green. The color is due to the high content of chromium, which is rarely found in the garnet group silicates. Is a gem.
Pyrope is a rich red with lilac and violet. The name comes from the Greek expression “fire-like”. Magnesium predominates in the composition.
Rhodolite is pink-violet and is considered one of the subspecies of pyrope. Magnesium-ferruginous variety.
Color changing garnets are a mix of pyrope and spessartine.
In addition to the jewelry varieties listed above, there are more than a dozen types of garnet that are rarely used by jewelers.
Magical properties of Garnet
Red garnet is a stone of love, stimulating sexuality and love passions. Jewelry with red garnets cheers the soul, gives its owners courage, will and incredible endurance, as well as power over people. The energy of the pomegranate fills you with optimism and cheerfulness, drives away bad thoughts.
Green garnets improve the intuition of their owners, contribute to the development of extrasensory abilities, and also teach them how to spend their time and money rationally. Constantly wearing a pomegranate helps to always be in high spirits and in emotional euphoria. If the owner of a garnet needs peace and rest, it is better to temporarily remove products made from this stone.
Products with garnet are considered talismans for creative people – poets and artists, sculptors and designers, stylists and actors can wear this stone without restrictions. The vibrations of the mineral will give creative inspiration and energy boost, help you create and create.
The healing properties of the stone
Today, modern litho therapists note the ability of the stone to solve the following health problems:
- Thanks to this mineral, blood clots much faster, which speeds up the process of wound healing and recovery from severe injuries.
- The functioning of blood vessels improves, and hemoglobin in the blood increases.
- The body receives protection from the harmful effects of the environment and is able to more actively resist various diseases.
- Pyrope can help if there are problems with metabolism. With its help, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract will improve and the endocrine system will return to normal.
- These crystals are also used in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system.
The properties of this dark red stone have also been established to cope with headaches and improve a person’s condition even with severe migraines. To do this, you need to wear a garnet ring or necklace. Such jewelry will be useful for relieving stress and depression.
Garnet and Zodiacs
Astrologers believe that according to the horoscope, garnet corresponds to the fire element, although in this case it means only the red variety of the stone. The garnet stone in different forms relates to different zodiac signs.
Red stones – pyrope and almandine – are suitable for Leo, Capricorn, Sagittarius, and to a lesser extent – Virgo. At the same time, he lacks compatibility with water signs, especially Pisces and Cancer. Taurus doesn’t like this mineral either.
The zodiac sign grocer will suit everyone. This is one of the most peaceful stones, but its strength is less than that of its scarlet counterparts.
Pomegranate care
You need to wash a dirty product with a weak soap or saline solution. You can add a couple of drops of ammonia. Wipe with a rag, do not use hard sponges or abrasives. Store in a separate bag.
