Set of Red Rhodolite Garnet Gemstones

The name “garnet” comes from the Medieval Latin word “granatum”, which is an adjective meaning “dark red”.  It is thought that this adjective could have been extracted from the word “pomegranate”, due to the color.  However, the word could also have come from another Medieval word, “granum” referring to the red dye.  The use of red garnet dates back thousands of years, when it was used by Egyptian pharaohs for both decorative and ceremonial purposes.  The ancient Romans also wore garnet rings and traded garnet gemstones.  The best rhodolite garnet gemstones are a vivid raspberry red hue.