Beautiful, juicy, deep red garnet. The name comes from the Latin “granatum”, which means pomegranate. One is deliciously wearable and one is deliciously edible.
Garnets have been used in jewellery for thousands of years, going all the way back to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. During the Middle Ages in Europe, garnets were believed to promote truth, faith and constancy. Victorian widows wore them as a sign of their unwavering fidelity to their deceased spouses.
In crystal healing, garnets correspond to the root chakra, which lies at the base of the spine. This chakra grounds us in the physical world and garnets can help this process by making us feel calm and secure. The root chakra is also where kundalini energy lies and garnets can help to arouse this energy as well.
There was a time many years ago when I didn’t pay much attention to garnets. I was obsessed with other stones such as lapis and labradorite. (Still am!) This changed when I saw a crocheted cuff made with copper wire and garnets! It was an amazing combination and got me looking at garnets. I now use them regularly in jewelry for myself and in jewelry I sell. Garnets are reasonably priced and very durable with a hardness of 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
When working garnets into jewellery, what metals can be used? My favourite metal is silver and for an heirloom style, antiqued silver looks beautiful and rich. I have also seen very simple designs in brushed silver with a modern feel that show the colour of garnets to great advantage. Garnet combined with gold gives an exotic Indian feel, especially in more ornate pieces, which really shine when worn with simple clothing. And of course, try the aforementioned copper and garnet combination for something really different.
After seeing that crocheted cuff, I made a necklace using copper, garnet and rutilated quartz beads. The rutile is quite coppery and the combination is stunning.
So, after you have made yourself some beautiful garnet jewelry, put it on, have a pomegranate and revel in how luscious you look and feel!
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