The Garnet makes good jewelry because it is very hard, and so resistant to wear. Garnet has been found in jewelry from ancient Greece, Rome, and dating back to 3100 BC in Egypt. Chinese and Japanese warriors made bullets out of garnet because they believed that these would inflict more damage. Even Noah used a lantern from garnet to steer his Ark through the night. Travelers wore garnets for protection from evil, poison and wounds. People thought garnet brightened the night because of its high refraction of light. It was also believed to help depression and prevent nightmares. A red garnet in particular is said to break a fever, stop bleeding and to reduce inflammation.
Today, garnet is prized for its beauty rather than its magical powers. People like its naturalness, its brilliance, and color of a sun-drenched Indian summer. Garnet is said to symbolize happiness as well as deep and enduring love and friendships. Green garnets are the rarest and therefore highly prized. Emerald green and colorless garnet is next rarest, followed by pure red. Garnet comes today mainly from Africa, but also from India, Russia, central and south America. Skilled gem cutters all over the world shape them in classical forms and modern fancy designer’s cuts.
