A Garnet Primer -- and a new Rosary is on its Way...

I'm going to be busy today, folks...I have some spectacular Garnet on hand!!! See below for how I'm spending a lazy Saturday afternoon, but also, a little about Garnet. A part of our Ebay Rosary Guild Mission Statement addresses the need to honestly and fully describe the materials we use--You are a better buyer when you know what to look for--and what to avoid.

About Garnet...

Garnet comes in all kinds of colors, but the red is probably the most widely known. It is a nesosilicate, formed deep in the mantle or deep crust of the earth in great heat and great pressure. One particular type of Garnet is often found in the presence of Diamonds, formed in that same high pressure furnace, and Diamond prospectors use the presence of Garnet as an indicator of good things to come!

Colors include green (demantoid and grossular), cinnamon browns (hessionite, tsavorite), some lovely yellows, even black. Recently (1990s) a unique, color-change Garnet was discovered in Madagascar--blue green in morning light, red in strong afternoon light...and purple under incandescent!

Garnet is a fairly hard stone, and ranges form 6.5-7.5 on the 10 point Mohs Scale.

It was the most popular stone used by the ancient Romans and early barbarians, and there are many examples of gorgeous inlaid work of the 7th and 8th centuries found in England and Scotland.

Of course, there is good Garnet and not so good Garnet...look for transparency and a clear red ranging from claret to deep red with raspberry highlights in the best red variety stones. Lesser quality will be more opaque, have more inclusions, and often has muddy or black overtones--ick.

I love Garnet, but seldom find excellent quality in beads.  When I do hit the jackpot I buy as much as I can get, as it may be a long time before I see that quality again. I really hadn't seen much good Garnet in the last two or three years, but some sources say there has been a large, new find in Australia.

Not sure if that is why, but the Garnet I just obtained is near gem quality. Believe me, I did the happy dance when I came across it!

Garnet is a bear to photograph!!! But I've done the best I can to show you the color tones of these stones--as I said, nearly gem quality clear, saturated red that is easily noted even in low light, and luminous cranberry and raspberry highlights...

I blended A++ White Freshwater Pearls with the Garnet, and a hefty Bali bead for the Paters. I wanted to give the Rosary a Medieval feel--what do you think?
It should be listed this weekend--if I can get a good picture!

As always, contact me with questions or Custom requests...if you love Garnet, these are the nicest stones I've had in years, and though I'm trying to source more, for now...get them while you can

j