Buying guide

Garnet

Garnet is a family, not a single stone. Spessartine (fanta orange), rhodolite (raspberry red-purple) and hessonite (cinnamon orange) are distinct species with different values. Spessartine with true fanta saturation is the most sought after.

Garnet at a glance

Mineral family: Garnet
Chemical formula: X3Y2(SiO4)3
Mohs hardness: 6.5 - 7.5
Refractive index: 1.740 - 1.895
Specific gravity: 3.5 - 4.3
Crystal system: Cubic
Colours: red, orange, pink
Birthstone month: January
Anniversary: 2nd
Typical treatment: Garnet is one of the very few gem families that is essentially never treated. What you see is what the earth produced.
In stock now: 19 stones from $77.50

What drives the price

In one line: Species, colour saturation, clarity, size.

Treatment

Garnet is one of the very few gem families that is essentially never treated. What you see is what the earth produced.

Any seller unwilling to state treatment in writing is telling you something. Every listing on this site states it.

Durability and daily wear

Warm soapy water. Generally ultrasonic safe if free of large fractures. Avoid steam.

Mohs 6.5 - 7.5, cubic crystal system, specific gravity 3.5 - 4.3.

Tradition and meaning

A grounding, energising stone associated with vitality, commitment and safe travel.

Birthstone for January. Associated with Capricorn and Aquarius. Anniversary stone: 2nd.

Frequently asked

Is garnet always red?

No. The garnet family spans orange spessartine and hessonite, raspberry rhodolite, green tsavorite and demantoid, and colour-change varieties. Only almandine and pyrope match the deep red most people picture.

What is spessartine garnet?

Spessartine is the manganese-aluminium garnet responsible for vivid orange to reddish-orange colours. Top material is marketed as mandarin or fanta garnet and is never heat treated.

Is garnet hard enough for a ring?

At 6.5-7.5 Mohs it is suitable for rings with reasonable care. It sits below sapphire and above opal or fluorite in durability, so a protective setting extends its life in daily wear.