Garnets differ from other birthstones in that they are not just one type of gemstone but actually a group of gemstones consisting of closely related minerals. There are over 20 species of garnets, but only a few species and varieties are of gemstone quality. The most common of these are various shades of red, but garnets come in other colors, some more rare than others. The different types of garnets have their own names so it can sometimes be confusing when one stone can be called by two different names, for example almandine (a red garnet) which may be called garnet or almandine. Other types of garnet include tsavorite (green), spessartite/spessartine (orange), grossular (various colors), and pyrope (red) to name a few.

According to Greek mythology, Persephone, the goddess of vegetation, was kidnapped by Hades, the god of the Underworld. Unfortunately she ate some pomegranate seeds while she was there preventing her from leaving. In the end she was allowed to return to the surface world but was required to return to the Underworld for several months out of the year, resulting in winter for the surface.

Perhaps ironically, garnets have also been believed to protect travelers while travelling and were often exchanged between friends as tokens that they would meet again.

Click here to print raffle ticket order form.