January Birthstone: Garnet, History and Care

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The January birthstone at a glance

If you were born in January, your birthstone is garnet. It is one of the few stones on which all the lists agree: the so-called traditional list, the 1912 list of American jewellers, the British list and the current American list all give the same answer. This is not the case for most other months.

A birthstone (also called a “month stone”) is a stone associated by custom with a month of the year. There is no single official list. Here is what the main ones say.

List	Stones
So-called traditional list (15th to 20th century, depending on the authors)	Garnet
1912 list of American jewellers	Garnet
British jewellers’ list (2013 version)	Garnet
Current American list	Garnet

To learn how these lists came about, read the section “A little history of birthstones” below. For the other months, you can start with February or December.

Garnet: a family of stones, not a single one

The word “garnet” does not refer to a single mineral but to a group of minerals with crystals of similar form (cubic or nearly so) and similar compositions. The main members are pyrope and almandine (red), spessartine (orange), grossular (including the vivid green variety called tsavorite), andradite (including the very brilliant green demantoid) and uvarovite (emerald green, in tiny crystals). Rhodolite, a pinkish red, is a mix of pyrope and almandine.

The name comes from the Latin granatus, “grainy”, and is linked to the seeds of the pomegranate. Garnet has no cleavage, meaning no easy break plane, which makes it quite resistant in jewellery worn every day. Its hardness ranges from 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale: a little softer than quartz for the softest kinds, a little harder for the hardest.

It is mined in India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Tanzania, Mozambique, the United States and Russia (the Urals, for demantoid). The red garnets of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic, made the reputation of Central European jewellery in the 19th century. Long before that, cut garnets set in gold decorated jewellery in Europe from Antiquity and the early Middle Ages.

Traditional symbolism

In popular tradition, garnet is associated with fire, blood and the energy of life, and then with faithfulness, commitment and courage. It is often given to mark the anniversary of a meeting or as a pledge of attachment.

A widely told legend claims that Noah lit the ark with a garnet. It is a folk tale with no historical value, but it explains why the stone has long been linked with light and travel. According to some authors, it is related to the root chakra or the heart chakra; these correspondences are modern and not agreed upon. They belong to symbolism: none of these ideas has been proven, and a piece of jewellery never replaces medical advice.

A little history of birthstones

The idea of linking twelve stones to twelve months has its source in a biblical text: the Book of Exodus (chapter 28) describes the breastplate of the high priest, set with twelve stones in four rows, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Hebrew names of these stones are hard to translate: scholars still debate what they referred to, and several stones named (emerald, sapphire in the modern sense) may not have been known at the time. It is therefore a tradition, not an established list.

In the 1st century, the historian Flavius Josephus linked these twelve stones to the twelve months and the twelve signs of the zodiac. The custom of wearing a single stone per month, according to the month of birth, is much more recent, dating back only a few centuries; depending on the authors, it is placed in Germany in the 16th century or in Poland in the 18th century.

Other possible stones for January

Garnet is a safe choice, but you may prefer another red or warm-coloured stone if you do not like garnet or want a more unusual piece of jewellery:

• red spinel, very close to ruby in appearance;
• ruby, more expensive, the July stone;
• carnelian, orange and affordable;
• red jasper, opaque, for decorative use or as a tumbled stone.

To be honest: these alternatives are suggestions of colour and budget, not January stones in the official lists.

Giving a January birthstone

Garnet makes a good gift: it is bright, affordable in good everyday qualities and sturdy enough for daily jewellery. Consider a ring, a pendant or earrings if the person already wears jewellery; a small cabochon or a tumbled stone suits someone who prefers an object to keep in a pocket or on a desk.

For ideas, browse our jewellery and gift ideas ranges. To learn how to choose stone jewellery, read our guide to stone jewellery.

Caring for garnet, treatments and imitations

Cleaning. Garnet tolerates lukewarm water with a little mild soap and a soft brush. Rinse, then dry with a soft cloth. An ultrasonic clean is usually possible for a sound stone, but avoid it if the stone shows visible cracks. Avoid hard knocks and contact with harsh products.

Sun and heat. Garnet is not harmed by light. Still, avoid sudden changes in temperature.

Storage. Keep it apart from softer stones (opal, pearl, turquoise), which it can scratch.

Treatments and imitations. Garnets are rarely treated, which is reassuring. The most common imitations are red glass and some doublets (a thin layer of real stone glued onto a glass base), which are frequent in antique jewellery. A reputable seller states the garnet variety and discloses any assembled stone. For general advice, read our guide to choosing and caring for your stones.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to birthstones.