Birthstone January - Qualities and Myth
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Posted On :
Dec-23-2011
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Article Word Count :
539
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January’s birthstone is garnet, a beautiful red stone often used in jewellery. This article explains the meaning behind the semi-precious stone, as well as its mythical properties.
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Birthstones are special stones (often semi-precious stones) that are associated with a particular month in the Georgian calendar. Birthstone jewellery makes a popular gift and is chosen according to the person’s birthday. Some months and zodiac signs have several birthstones associated with them because of various reasons. Some have modern birthstone associations as well as other birthstones that were associated with them in older times.
The birthstone for January is the garnet, a semi-precious stone usually in a deep red colour. Because of its colour, the qualities associated with garnet are in part derived from the associations of the colour red, i.e. it is said to strengthen sexuality, sensuality and passion. However, the garnet also has other qualities. It is associated with friendship, faithfulness, commitment and truth and is thought to aid with removal of negativity and insight. It is representative of perseverance and is also traditionally given on the 2nd and 6th wedding anniversaries.
Garnet is associated with the zodiac sign of Capricorn (as an alternate) as the month of January is ruled by this sign. Although Capricorn has some other stones associated with it, the qualities inherent in the garnet are seen to be associated with Capricorn (such as perseverance, commitment, etc.). It is the birthstone for the sign of Aquarius, a sign that is often associated with honesty.
It is important to note that garnets come in a variety of colours, not just red, although they are usually associated with the red colour. The word garnet is derived from “Granatum”, ancient Greek for seed. This is because the red crystals look a lot like the seeds of the pomegranate fruit.
The different types of garnet include:
Almandine garnet - brownish or reddish brown
Andradite garnet - can be black, green or brown
Grossular garnet - green, orange or without colour
Pyrope garnet - ruby red or dark red
Spessartine garnet - brown, pink or orange
Uvaorite garnet - green
There are many other types of garnet however, including remarkable colour-changing ones which change from green, beige, brown, grey or blue to reddish purple/pink in incandescent light. Red garnets are the most common and so the cheapest, whereas green garnets are the rarest and most expensive.
Garnets have been valued across the world for centuries. The use of garnets as a gemstone can be traced to prehistoric times, and references of garnet jewellery date back as far as 3100 B.C when it was worn by wealthy ancient Egyptians.
Garnet jewellery has also been found in Sumerian graves, and in medieval times soldiers wore the stone to ward off wounding and bring victory. Native American tribes attributed healing qualities to the garnet, its red colour associating it with the power to heal diseases and conditions of the blood system, as well as being able to break a fever and reduce inflammation.
Nowadays, garnets are prized for their beauty and are given as gifts to symbolise enduring love and friendship. For people with January birthdays, garnets make very special gifts. They reinforce the relationship between the giver and receiver and remind the wearer of the good qualities they are meant to have.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Birthstone January - Qualities and Myth_123791.aspx
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Author Resource :
Love Adorn sell a range of jewellery and gifts for any birthstone, including garnet jewellery.
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Keywords :
garnet birthstone, garnet jewellery, birthstones, January birthstone,
Category :
Fashion
:
Jewelry
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