6 January Birthstones That Aren’t Garnet
For many people, garnet is the January birthstone that they are most familiar with. The deep red hue of the stone is the one most commonly associated with the first month of the year. But what happens if you aren’t a fan of the stone but still want something associated with your birth month? The good news is that there are alternative January birthstones to consider.
Red Zircon
If you are a fan of red but would like something a little bright and a touch more sparkly than garnet, then red zircon may be the perfect answer. The stone is the red version of the zircon gemstone, of which blue zircon is perhaps the most well-known. It is also known as hyacinth or jacinth zircon and is known for its January associations in the ancient Italian and Russian beliefs.
Zircon is a mineral that is found throughout the Earth’s crust, though large stones are quite rare. These stones are altered in colour and structure due to a radiation process – the more radiation it is exposed to, the more coloured it becomes. Ranges of colours include red, yellow, green, grey, blue and clear or colourless. The stone can also be heated to change its colour further, leading to pink and purple stones.
Emerald
Emerald is traditionally associated with being the birthstone of the month of May but in the ancient Tibetan calendar, it was the stone of January. Emerald is a type of beryl mineral that has trace elements in it including chromium that lead to its colour.
It has been mined around the world since ancient times with Egyptian and Indian stones appearing as early as 1500 BC. Today, the world’s largest producer of the stone is Colombia, with over half the stones being mined there. Zambia is the next biggest producer while countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Australia, Bulgaria, the US and Zimbabwe all mining the stone.
There have been several notable emeralds throughout history and some of the most expensive jewellery made contains the stone. The stone features in the royal jewellery of many states around the world and is considered a precious stone, alongside diamond, sapphire and ruby.
Star sign associations
Another way to select a stone is by your star sign, of which two fall into January – Capricorn and Aquarius. Of the two, Capricorn runs from 21st December to 19th January so we will look at it here. There are a total of six gemstones that are associated with the Capricorn star sign.
Alternate stones include garnet, due to its association with January as well as black onyx and agate. In the Hindu system, onyx is also associated with the sign along with another black gemstone, jet. In planetary terms, lapis lazuli is also associated with the star sign while talismanic beliefs align it with onyx.
Ruby
First among them is ruby, the pinkish red precious gemstone that is most commonly associated with the July birthstone. Ruby is one of the more expensive and well known gemstones and is actually a type of sapphire.
Onyx
Onyx is a type of the mineral called chalcedony, as is agate. Both of these stones come in a host of different colours, though some sources specify black onyx for Capricorn.
Onyx is found around the world from Argentina and Brazil to the UK and Germany as well as in China, India and the US. The stone has been used in jewellery around the world from Ancient Egypt and Minoan Crete through to modern times. It has been popular in making carved cameos as well as plinths for sculptures in the Art Deco period.
Jet
Jet is often referred to as a gemstone, though it is a different type of mineral to most of the well-known gemstones. It is a type of lignite, similar to coal and is made when wood is put under extreme pressure. Despite this, it has been used in jewellery for thousands of years in bead form and later in gemstone fashion, such as its part in the mourning dress of Queen Victoria.
Lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli is another ancient stone that is known for its vivid blue colour. It has been used in jewellery as well as to make the paint pigment ultramarine and today, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the biggest sources of it, alongside the Lake Baikal area of Russia and in Chile. As well as uses in jewellery, it has also been used in statues and carvings as well as most famously in the funeral mask of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
January birthstones that aren’t garnet
The last three gemstones are also common in bead form with necklaces, bracelets and earrings all featuring the stones. They are less expensive than stones such as ruby and garnet so can be found in costume jewellery, a less expensive way to wear a stone associated with your birth month or star sign.
