Although here in the northern hemisphere we are all hunkering down to avoid the worst of what these winter months have to throw at us ( and that's before we consider the rampaging virus), birthdays still go on. In usual times these are a joyous opportunity to celebrate and add some brightness and sparkle, literally and metaphorically, to an otherwise gloomy time of year.
If you do have a January birthday you share that fact with many well known celebrities including the Duchess of Cambridge , Nigella Lawson, Eddie Redmayne, Claudia Winkleman and Kate Moss.
Interestingly, fewer people celebrate their birthdays in January than more popular birthday months ( although that is not so in the Southern hemisphere), but those that do are lucky to claim the beautiful crimson garnet and as their birthstone.
Garnet, the January Birthstone, is most often seen as a crimson stone but does present as orange, brown, pink, purple and blue, depending on its chemical composition. Almandine is the most common type of garnet that includes reddish-brown gemstones.
It is a silicate mineral and is widespread across the globe from Africa to the USA and south east asia. Garnet ranges between 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness depending on the variety. Remember that anything with a harder Mohs rating will be able to scratch the surface of a garnet, so you will need to treat your garnets with care.
Garnet possess unique qualities —from improving one's vitality and health to protection from negativity. Because it's such an energizing stone Garnet is often worn as a talisman for good luck.
Garnet is believed to help one succeed in business as it can help turn the energy of crisis into opportunities. Garnet can also bring calm to one's spirit by re-directing negative and chaotic energy into a more harmonious and clear one. It has unique abilities in terms of working with one's energy—it can activate and energize, or it can calm and pacify—all depending on what's needed for the overall health and balance.
Garnet also:
Helps ignite love and passion
Strengthens one's personal energy
Heightens creativity and inspiration
Improves one's daily energy levels
Establishes faith and trust
Opens the heart
Builds self-esteem
