Folks born in January are undoubtedly lucky. Their birthstone Garnet is all things desire. While the red garnet spellbinds you at the very first sight, there is no word to describe the charm of the blue garnet that changes its colour to purple in different lightings. Even those who are not a big fan of red and blue garnet, do not lose heart. You can explore your options in garnet from the yellow, purple and vibrant green range.
But yes, whether you buy Garnet for luck or just as a stylish trinket, like every other gemstones, this one too needs to be purchased after due diligence.
First things first: How to identify real garnet from fake ones?
Hold the stone close to your eyes. The real garnet will display a rainbow of yellow and green bands. Also, they are known for their hardness. So if you rub it on the steel surface, it can scratch it but not vice-a-versa. You can also test it with quartz. Neither quartz can cause a scratch on garnet, nor the garnet can scratch quartz. Moreover, they are high in clarity, and therefore, you don’t see any blurring or clouding when you look through them.
Here are the 4Cs of Garnet.
Colour
Colour is the most important criterion when it comes to garnet. They are available in a number of colours but red is the most popular and abundant colour of this gemstone. About green, it is the most valuable and expensive one. However, the blue and colour changing variant are rarely found and therefore, can’t be afforded by all.
Clarity
Garnet is valued for its clarity and sheen. The red garnets normally do not have inclusions visible to the naked eye. However, orange garnets display the star effect due to inclusions. Due to this distinctive effect, it is highly valued.
Cut
Garnets, especially red garnets, are generally cut into standard shapes and sizes to set in jewellery. However, expensive garnets are sparingly cut into shapes and styles to retain the most of the carat weight of the rough.
Carat
Garnets are found in various sizes and weights. Large size green garnets are rare and hence, their value goes up significantly with size. But as red garnets are far more common in larger sizes, so there’s no significant increase in price as its size increases.
So as you flaunt your birthstone, we hope it brings all the happiness and prosperity in your life.
Do share your thoughts on Garnet birthstone in the comments below.
