Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to All January Babies

Example of the Colors of Garnet

Another New Year is upon us. All of us at AfricaGems.com wish everyone a healthy and Happy New Year. We also wish to thank all our customers for their support through the years.  It may be obvious to say but without our customers we wouldn’t be here.  We believe we have the best customers in the world.

Speaking of Health
Like the start of the New Year, the pomegranate has long symbolized freshness, health and rejuvenation.  The etymology of the word garnet dates back to least the 14th century and means pomegranate.  That used make sense because of the red-brown color of pomegranate seeds and juice. 

Rhodolite Garnet and Diamond Ring

Thanks to gemstone analysis and classifications in the 19th century and discoveries in the 20th century, we know that garnet gemstones come in just about every color and even come in color change (blue or blue-green to violet purple).

Garnet – The Modern January Birthstone and the Zodiac Birthstone for Aquarius
The garnet family has been defined by many names such as almandine, andradite, demantoid, grossularite, hessonite, pyrope, rhodolite, tsavorite, spessartite, and uvarovite. These names help us determine the color of garnet.  For example, tsavorite is a type of vibrant green garnet.  Rhodolite garnet is a type of almandine – pyrope mixed garnet that is a rich violet or raspberry-red. Then there is spessartite garnet which comes in beautiful orange, reddish orange, yellow or cognac colors. 

Tsavorite and Diamond Ring

So which color will you choose?  Are you or that January baby in your life a traditionalist or do you favor a more modern choice in garnet?  Traditionalists will choose the either the deep red of a pyrope garnet or the deep red violet of an almandine garnet.  Those who think more modern can choose from tsavorite, spessartite, grossular or demantoid garnet.

Africagems.com has a large fantastic selection of garnets and garnet jewelry (rings, earrings and pendants) from which to choose.  And for the month of January, all garnets and garnet jewelry is offered at a 25% discount off of our already low wholesale prices.  Make sure to use the code of january2011 in the coupon field during checkout.