Garnets
Garnets have been a very popular gemstone over the years and come in many very beautiful colors.
You do not need to know all about garnets in order seek out and buy a good quality gemstone but the more you do know, obviously the better your choice will be and the better price you are likely to get for the garnet you want to buy.
The word Garnet originates from the Latin ‘granatus’ which means ‘grain’. It has been speculated that this is a reference to the pomegranate fruit which has seeds of a similar shape size and color to some garnet stones.
Despite many people thing\king of garnets as purely green, in fact garnets are invariably red in color but can also be found in a number of other colors including purple, orange, yellow green brown and even black. Even colorless crystals of garnet have been known to be found.
The Garnet is the birthstone for January, and has been in use since the Bronze Age
When shopping for garnets do some patient browsing first. Really check over all the garnets available,. Inspecting them and asking to see the certificate of appraisal that comes or should come with them.
You want to be sure that the garnets are a) genuine and b) that the garnets are what the dealer or jeweler says they are.
If buying online ensure that the seller has a returns policy and that you can contact them easily through the phone or snail mail (letter) and not just some obscure email address.
Buying garnets is easy and all you really need is some common sense, some patience and to do some due diligence and you will likely find the garnet you have been looking for at a price you can afford.