Pandora garnet gold wreath ring

Phew! It’s January, and if you’re like most of the adult world, you can’t believe that another year of your life is over, and a new one has begun … ALREADY! If you’re still reeling from Christmas and rubbing your head after New Year’s Day, and you have a loved one to buy a birthday gift for this January, the easy and elegant choice is garnet. Best of all, this gemstone is certainly not a bank-balance breaker – we check out how it can be incorporated into beautiful garnet jewelry gifts this January.

Rhodolite Garnet Diamond Drop Earrings

Rhodolite Garnet and Diamond Drop Pendant

Classic Octagonal Rhodolite Garnet Pendant

Gemstone Drop Earrings with Garnets

Red Garnet 2-in-1 Earrings

Garnets have been used both as gemstones and abrasives since the Middle Ages(though we don’t really recommend using your jewelry for cleaning benchtops, etc!). Garnets come in a huge variety of colors, from shades of red through to yellow, as well as blue, green, purple, black and clear. However, when it comes to jewelry, you will find red and green garnets used almost exclusively. They have a deep maroon tinge, as opposed to rubies which tend towards pinkishness. They sit at around 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness (with 10 being a diamond), as many gemstones used in jewelry do. They are not highly refractive or ’sparkly’, but have a deep, clear luster.

With their understated, classical air, garnets are often paired up with slightly asymmetrical or freeform shapes, to stop them being too simple. This Pandora gold wreath garnet ring at the beginning of the article is a beautiful example of this technique, which you’ll also see in our other featured garnet jewelry for January birthdays. The bubble design is something that is echoed throughout the Pandora range, so there are plenty of ways to coordinate this ring with other Pandora pieces. It blends sterling silver and 14ct gold, with the traditional brilliant cut garnet as the feature. This ring is quite easy to re-size – you can order it in an average size and keep the gift a surprise, if you like!

Check out the prices on gorgeous garnet jewelry like the heart cut earrings at right, and you’ll see why garnets are so popular! They have a truly elegant air that completely belies the price tag. The gemstones in these earrings are actually a sizeable 5mm across, and set on 9ct white gold. They have hook fittings, but are a snug huggie design which is very comfortable for everyday wear.

You might want to double up on garnet jewelry gifts for your loved one, depending on who you’re buying for … considering they are such good value! You could match up the earrings with another 9ct white gold piece, like the rhodolite garnet and diamond pendant at right. This is a dainty 1.7cm long, and features a sizeable 7mm x 9mm, 2.14ct garnet in the center. The diamonds serve more as an accent than a feature – which keeps this pendant very affordable!

With such a classical color and luster, garnets really suit classical gemstone cuts. We love the emerald cut of the garnet in the pendant at right; simple and very effective. If your loved one doesn’t already have an everyday-wear pendant, this is a great piece to start her collection! In garnet pendants, if you forego the diamonds and cut down on the size of the stone, your wallet will thank you even more. This pendant has a 5mm x 7mm stone, taking the total pendant measurement to 1.2cm with a white gold base.

Garnets are equally beautiful in collection with other gemstones, as you can see in the gemstone drop earrings at right. With the peridots, citrines, diamonds and amethysts set with larger blue topazes, they look remarkably like the fruit of a colorful tree set against a balmy blue sky … bliss! All the gemstones are set on affordable and wearable 9ct white gold.

If you know someone who loves jewelry but hates fussing over their appearance too much, these elegant garnet earrings present them the rare opportunity to dress up without all the associated fuss! The garnet drops come away from the studs for wearing to bed and as simple studs during the day, and can be easily added again for a bit of glamour! The top garnets measure 5mm across, the bottom ones are 6.5mm, with both set on high quality 18ct white gold (nickel free).

Garnets are a wonderful feature gemstone for jewelry … and for birthday gifts in the post Christmas budget slump, they are very affordable! We have well over 100 different garnet products to browse through – simply click through any of the images, or visit our entire garnet jewelry selection. Happy shopping!