January Birthstone – Garnet
January 18, 2017Garnet is the beautiful deep red stone that celebrates January birthdays as well as the second year marriage anniversaries. Garnet is the zodiac stone for those born under the sign Aquarius, the mid-winter season between January 20 and February 18. According the the Zodiac, Aquarians desire the truth of all things and have a gift for art and music.
The name “garnet” is derived from the Latin word “granatum” which means seed, named after the red seeds of pomegranate fruit. The history of garnets can be traced all the way back to the Bronze era and are well documented in Egyptian jewelry and carvings.
While garnets can technically come in a wide variety of colors, the most common color is a lovely range of deep and rusty reds. Garnets are found all over the world including Madagascar, Greece, Russia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, India, and even Wyoming.
Garnets, sometimes called the “Gem of Faith,” are believed to bring positive karma, peace, prosperity, and health to a home. It also can symbolize soulful friendship, which may be why it’s such a suitable 2nd year anniversary present!
Photos are by a wonderful local photographer, Shelby Hosteltler.