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Its name comes from the Greek "pyros" for fire. Of variable color, the red one, more or less tinged with brown, being the most sought after. It was called "carbuncle" which means red like fire, and the expression "shining like carbuncles" was widely used by many writers. It has also been called "Bohemian garnet" from the site where the most beautiful came from.
The Rhodolite is an intermediate variety between pyrope and almandine but closer to pyrope, of a red rose color, its name derived from the Greek " rhodon " for rose.
Garnets change colors, they are an intermediate between pyrope and spessartite and they have the characteristic of changing color depending on the light which they are subjected to: " natural " light or artificial" incandescent ".
The "malaya" variety , is orange in natural light and becomes deep pink in incandescent light, it was discovered in the 1990s.
The “ Bekily “ variety, from Madagascar is the only known blue garnet, blue that tends to green under daylight, it becomes deep pink, almost red, under incandescent light. This change in color, due to vanadium, is as spectacular as that of the alexandrite. These garnets "Bekily" are highly desirable for two reasons: they are blue garnets, a rarity, and their color change is as dramatic as for alexandrite.
The umbalite is the name of a variety that ranges between almandine and pyrope.

Exploited sites

Very much appreciated ones were found in Bohemia, from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, but also in Austria, and currently the major deposits are in South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Burma, Brazil, China, South Africa, United States, Madagascar, Nigeria, Russia, Tanzania and of course in the Czech Republic. The garnets that change color come mainly from Africa: Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania.

See pictures of the mines / other pictures

Use in jewelry

They were amongst the most used and worn gemstones in Europe, they were used to make rings, earrings, necklaces with faceted beads, pendants. The reputation of Bohemian garnets had exceeded the boundaries of Europe, they were also used in the decorative arts associated with Bohemian crystal. The reputation of the Bohemian garnet peaked in the nineteenth and especially at the end of this century, in the 1890s when many jewels were exported worldwide. This reputation was certainly enhanced by the properties that were assigned to it : to bring good luck and also to reduce pain. Note that many older pyrope are not cut with a cylinder head but with a flat base for mounting in pavement.
Garnet is the stone anniversary of the second year of marriage.

Daily care and precautions

Robustness and ease of maintenance have made it a very popular gemstone and accessible to the middle class while the ruby, very expensive and rare, were reserved for the ruling class and kings.

Looking alike stones

almandite , grossular , ruby , spinel , tourmaline

Historical healing properties

It would be a stone that would lead to “ positive thinking “, strength, courage, passion, determination. It would have a beneficial effect on our life force and sexual organs. It would bring vitality and passion of love.

Imitations and treatments

A red glass can imitate it as much as synthetic rubies and spinels. There are also doublets.