Spessartite Garnet

Avalon Pendant with Spessartite Garnet

Garnets have been appreciated and sought after for thousands of years – they are found in the jewelry of the ancient Egyptians. Some people wore them as a talisman for protection on journeys, believing that that the high refraction of this beautiful gemstone brings light to the darkness, protecting one from evil.

Garnets come in a wide variety of colors, depending upon their composition. Among the rarer varieties are the Spessartites, which come out of particular mines in Namibia and more recently, Nigeria. Also known as "Mandarin garnets," the Spessartites have a fire orange color which looks particularly stunning in yellow gold mountings.