Garnet is not just a red stone. Here’s a systematic breakdown of its 6 mineral species, color varieties, pricing data, and a diagnostic flowchart for telling it apart from ruby.

Garnet Gemstone — A Developer’s Guide

If you think garnet is just “a red birthstone for January” — you’re missing 95% of the family.

Garnet is actually a group of over 20 silicate minerals with the same crystal structure but different chemical compositions. Only about six are used as gemstones.

This guide provides a systematic, data-oriented overview — think of it as API documentation for a gemstone family.

Table of Contents

The “Big Six” Garnet Species (The Root Classes)

The Varieties You’ll Actually See in Jewelry

The Color Spectrum: From Red to Blue-Green

Price by Type: A $5 to $20,000 Range

Garnet vs. Ruby: A Diagnostic Flowchart

At-Home Tests: Magnet, UV, Refraction

Care & Maintenance Checklist

Full Reference

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