January...The Garnet

c. 1860 garnet & gold bracelet, Paris Hotel Boutique

Before the month of January is over, I thought I'd give a shout-out to the gorgeous red garnet. How many of you are lucky enough to have this as your birthstone? I'm an amethyst...pretty, but not quite as rich as a garnet.

Did you know that? The word garnet is derived from the Greek word "granatum" which means "pomegranate seed" reflecting the shape and color of the crystals. Like diamonds, gemstones are graded by color, cut, clarity and carat weight.

And...garnets are found in many varieties, each being described by a special name.

c. 1830 rare early Victorian garnet snake necklace, Paris Hotel Boutique

• The Bohemian garnet is a deep red, while the Cinnamon garnet stone usually has its color varied by a tinge of orange.

19th century Almandine garnet love knot brooch, Paris Hotel Boutique

• Almandine garnets have a violet hue and take their name from Alabanda, a town in Asia Minor, where, according to the Roman author Pliny, this stone (which he describes as the Alabandicus) was in his time cut and polished.

So... Happy Birthday Garnet! If you must treat yourself to a garnet, the above pieces can be found at Paris Hotel Boutique!