January birthstone
January birthstone: Garnet
Garnet is the stone of protection, friendship, trust and safe travels. Here's its color, history, care and what to look for when you buy.
- Color
- Deep red is classic, but garnets also come in orange (spessartite), green (tsavorite and demantoid) and color-change varieties
- Hardness
- 6.5–7.5 Mohs
- Meaning
- protection, friendship, trust and safe travels
- Found in
- India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, East Africa, the Czech Republic (Bohemian garnet) and the US
- Anniversary
- 2nd
- Birth flower
- Carnation and Snowdrop
Shop January birthstone jewelry
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Garnet colors
Deep red is classic, but garnets also come in orange (spessartite), green (tsavorite and demantoid) and color-change varieties.
History & meaning
Garnet comes from the Latin granatum, "pomegranate," because small red garnets look like pomegranate seeds. Egyptian pharaohs were buried with garnet necklaces, Roman nobles sealed documents with carved garnet rings, and travelers carried garnets to protect themselves on the road. Bohemian garnet jewelry was a 19th-century European craze.
Caring for garnet
Durable enough for daily rings. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Avoid sudden temperature changes.
What garnet costs
Red garnet is one of the most affordable birthstones, often $20–$100 for a good-sized stone. Tsavorite and demantoid can cost far more.
January birthstone jewelry
Necklaces, rings and bracelets in garnet, plus how to pick a setting that suits a 6.5–7.5-hardness stone.
Shop January jewelry ideasQuestions, answered
What is the January birthstone?
The January birthstone is Garnet.
What color is the January birthstone?
Deep red is classic, but garnets also come in orange (spessartite), green (tsavorite and demantoid) and color-change varieties.
What does garnet mean?
Garnet symbolizes protection, friendship, trust and safe travels.
Is garnet good for everyday rings?
Garnet rates 6.5–7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. Durable enough for daily rings. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Avoid sudden temperature changes.
How much does garnet cost?
Red garnet is one of the most affordable birthstones, often $20–$100 for a good-sized stone. Tsavorite and demantoid can cost far more.
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