January Birthstone - Garnet - Birthstones for January born or Capricon.

The lucky stone for people born in January or Capricorn is Garnet - the carrier of faith and truth. This sparkling crystal is not only
favored for its exceptional beauty, but also for the mystical significances it has. Existence of this legendary gem can be traced back to
the times as 3100 BC, when garnet used to be a part of the ancient Egyptians and Sumerians’ jewelry. It owes its name from the
Latin word “Granatum”, which means pomegranate, as the crystal resembles to that of the seed of this fruit.

Garnet was also known for its curative powers. It had been used as medicine for treating diseases like hemorrhage, fever and
inflammatory problems. Warriors of the Medieval times believed that garnet protected them from wounds in battles and also brought
victory. Again, for some garnet help relieve depressions, while others believed it’s a wonderful drug to prevent nightmares. No mater
what where its medicinal powers, Garnet today signifies happiness, loyalty and enduring love. The stone is also desiccated to 2nd
and 6th marriage anniversary.

Though it’s often mistakenly thought to be red, garnet gems were
found in variety of colors. It may be in the form a rare colorless crystal
piece or a magnificent black stone, the highly prized green garnets or
numerous shades of red. The color variation is due to the presence of
different metal impurities in different garnet gems. However, among
the various colors, the green garnets were the rarest of all, and so
were the most expensive ones. Emerald green and the colorless
garnets come next, while pure red forms of the stone were more
common and easily available.

It is not that difficult to get the kind of garnet you are looking for. Though
top quality garnets are rare, they can be acquired from various parts of
the world. In fact this unique crystal has much to offer in the mineral
kingdom both as gemstones and mineral specimens. Today garnets
are in great demand and are often found in jewelry pieces. Apart from
its traditional colors blue, green and red, the intermediate shades and
hues of this stone are also ‘favorite’ among customers.