Garnet is the birthstone for January. These lucky folks have many colors to choose among for their birthstone. Some garnet varieties and colors are relatively abundant, and are very affordable. A few varieties and colors are extremely rare. The value of these gems can exceed the price of diamonds. On this page we will look at garnets between these extremes, different… and affordable. Ant Hill Garnet Is that different enough? Arizona pyrope garnet is called ant hill garnet because ants bring up the smaller crystals from below ground and deposit them in the ant hill when building or remodeling. Ant hill garnets are recognized as possessing the finest bright ruby-red color of the garnet family. During the 1800's Navajos in this locale used the water-worn and rounded ant Hill garnet crystals as bullets. This use had both a practical side (the stones were there, and free) and an emotional appeal… the Navajos believed the blood-red color helped produce fatal wounds. Ant hill garnets occur in a remote section of the Navajo Nation in Arizona. The gems have never been mined commercially because there aren't enough of them. That means these gems are beautiful... and rare. Gems over a carat are even more rare! The world supply of these gems depends on those living nearby who collect a few stones after the occasional rainstorm and trade them at the local store. Madagascar Garnet Madagascar's spessartine garnet is a recently discovered variety with a beautiful ras p berry body color, and spectacular salmon-pink fire. As you might suspect, Madagascar garnet comes from the island of Madagascar, off the coast of East Africa. This gem is as exotic, colorful, and beautiful as its island home. Our Madagascar garnet is a grand and beautiful contribution to the universe of gems. Mystery Garnet This beautiful and gentle little gem comes to us from an undisclosed location. The cutting factory claims to not know where in the world the gem is being mined. The miner is unnamed. We do know that it's a garnet. We also know that it is a lively and sparkling hot-pink gem. We jumped at the chance to buy the small parcel of these beautiful gems when we happened across them. The lack of fanfare makes me think that they are an isolated find… that there just aren't enough of them to mine commercially. The reasonable price that we paid makes me think it's a good deal. As always, I'll share the savings with you. "These gems sound fabulous," you say..

"And I can buy them wholesale?"

