|
| Garnet
Healing Properties
Most Red Garnet today comes from India and is dyed--even if the stone
is nice! Most commonly burgundy red, Garnet comes in various shades of
transparent to translucent red, pink, orange-red,
orange, purple and green.
Garnets get their name from the Latin granatum, meaning seed of the pomegranate,
which the burgundy red varieties resemble.
Mystical Properties: To receive a Garnet as
a gift is considered good
luck, however, if ever stolen, bad luck to the thief. In the Middle
Ages it was used to ward off harm and increase chivalry, loyalty and honesty.
Western Astrology assigns Garnet to
Aquarians and sometimes Capricorns, while in Hindu Astrology, " Hessonite
(an orange variety), is a very important gemstone, governing Rahu, or
the Moon's North Node. Jewelers assign it to the January Birthstone. The
red varieties are said to increase passion in all areas of life.
Said to aid those interested in astral
projection.
The traditional gift for the 18th Wedding
Anniversary. Also the mineral of Connecticut and the gemstone for
New York.
Thought to favor men named George and women named Gertrude.
Thought to rule 11 a.m. hour.
Healing Properties: Garnets come in many colors
and different varieties are associated with different healing abilities.
The blood-red varieties are often associated with blood diseases. Garnets
are thought to help heal oneself/friends but bring harm onto enemies.
The browner varieties are used by healers to draw out stress. The Demantoid
variety has been used to alleviate chronic pain. The pink Grossular varieties
sooth a stressed nervous system and are used by healers for stress-related
diseases, such as anorexia, mistrust, and people needing comfort.
Scientific Properties: Composed of Magnesium
Aluminum Silicate with Manganese, Chromium and/or Iron Silicate. Garnets
usually form good crystals and this is one of the field identifiers for
it--the cubic hexoctahedral or dodecahedral crystals.
Garnets are rather plentiful in very small sizes, however, the larger
the Garnet, the more rare.
Garnet is really a family of stones: Pyrope (generally the blood red variety),
Almandine (Orangey-red to Brown), Andradite (Brown, Black and sometimes
Yellowish-green to Yellowish orange), Grossular (Clear, Orange, Pink,
Yellow, Green, Brown), Spessartine (Yellowish Orange), and Uvarovites
(Deep Emerald Green), Tsavorites (Green to Yellowish Green), Rhodolite
(Purplish red to red), Hessonite
(Yellow orange to red).
Important localities include Europe, Arizona, New Mexico, South Africa
and Australia.
Hardness: 6.0 - 7.5 on the Moh's
Hardness Scale
|
;
|
