Garnet: Number One Birthstone of the Year

January’s birthstone is a subject of our particular attachment and pride. Perhaps nobody has done better than us to celebrate Garnet. Published in 2014, “Terra Garnet” by Vladyslav Yavorskyy still remains the most vibrant dedication to this multicolored stone. Let’s use this opportunity to highlight some of our favorite Garnet moments: a luscious Tsavorite rough from Tanzania in all stages from rough to cut, a mind-blowing faceted Mandarin from Nigeria and a Burmese Mandarin overlooking its origins in Mogok, a handful of juicy Rhodolites set in IVY earrings and many more.

“I remember exactly how and when I fell in love with garnets. It was on my first trip to Tanzania, decades ago. A young backpacker, traveling only with a loupe and camera, my mission was to see and smell the sunrise and sunset of the Serengeti.
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We strolled together through the lanes of Arusha, sharing travel stories and memories, when we stopped by a local gem house. Inside, I saw the most beautiful vivid green tsavorite crystal and was overcome by an instant urge to buy it.
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I gradually came to own an entire suite of green garnets, from intense emerald greens to the pastel mint shades. My collection grew to include demantoid garnets from the Ural Mountains, mandarin garnets from Burma, Tanzania and Nigeria, as well as pinkish-red rhodolites from Tanzania. As of today, some 20 years further along, I feel it is time to share my journey in the footsteps of garnets – photos of stones I bought and cut over the years – along with the people I’ve met along the way in my never ending travels hunting for these rare gems.”
(extract from “Terra Garnet” Book by Vladyslav Yavorskyy)

Happy Birthday Garnet!