Gemstone Glossary

Malaia Garnet

The history of Garnet dates back to the Bronze Age (more than 5,000 years ago), when it was a very popular gemstone. According to Christian and Jewish mythologies, when God's wrath clouded the earth with thunderous storms and endless rain during the Great Flood, a radiant red Garnet guided the way for Noah, ultimately leading his ark to salvation.


Unlike other gemstones, Garnets are believed to contain both protective and destructive elements. The Crusaders set Garnets into their body armor, believing the protective power of the stones would lead them to safety. Conversely, some Asian cultures added Garnets to bullets, believing its destructive power would greatly amplify the enormity of a wound.

The name "Garnet" is believed to have derived from "pomegranate" with its red, "Garnet colored" seeds. While the name Garnet has long been associated with a rich red color, the gemstone actually comes in a much wider array of color variations including: reds, oranges, greens and color change.

Garnets are found in a wide variety of locations including: Kenya, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brazil, India & Arizona (USA), however the bulk of today's Garnet supplies come from Africa.

When evaluating Garnets, color is the most important characteristic. The color must be intense and uniform with a tone that is not too light or too dark. Fine Garnets should be eye clean with minimal inclusions under magnification. Size is also a very critical determinant of the stone's value.

Garnets are a group of related minerals, containing cubic crystalline structure with slight variations in their chemical compositions. In all, there are 7 major types of Garnets, which include Almandine, Pyrope, Spessartine, Grossular, Andradite, Rhodolite and Malaia.

Mined only in Tanzania, Malaia Garnets have been considered the "outcast" for many years (malaia means "outcast" in Swahili). It was not until the 1970's that Malaia's beauty was truly appreciated by the gemstone world. Malaia Garnets are available in numerous shades of orange, ranging from soft peach to intense reddish orange. Malaia's chemical composition is a mixture of many general Garnet types, including Grossular, Spessartine, Almandine and Pyrope.