The Czech garnet is another indisputable jewel of the Czech Republic. It has adorned human lives since ancient times. Its beautiful color, gloss and transparency are appreciated till today. What exactly is a garnet? What was it´s story in Czech history? And what does it symbolize? We will briefly look at this in the following paragraphs.
What is garnet?
Garnet is a cubic mineral. It has 16 representatives, each with its own chemical composition, color and value. Today we will talk mainly about pyrope, or Czech garnet / Cape ruby. The name pyrop comes from the Greek word pyropos = fire similar. This beautiful gemstone has the color of dove's blood, is transparent, color-fast and resistant to acids and high temperatures.
Garnet in history
Deep-red gems were collected by people at random in ancient times. In 5th - 8th century AD it was a profitable export item. It was admired for its beauty, but also hardness and heat resistance.
Marie Terezie (18th century) banned the export of raw Czech garnet beyond the borders of the Czech lands and thus established a monopoly on the processing of pyrope exclusively by Czech jewelers.
The National Museum in Prague has the largest collection of raw and artistically processed pyrope from the entire history of the Czech lands.
The Czech Republic still has a monopoly on garnet processing to this day.
How to take care of garnet jewelry
Garnet jewelry needs to be taken care of, just like any other gold and silver jewelry. Keep in mind that wearing them all day and exposing them to sweat, parfunes, water and temperature changes will accelerate their erosion and oxidation.
The garnet itself is very resistant to temperature and chemicals, but it is relatively fragile, so be careful not to drop the jewelry. This will prevent the garnet from cracking or falling out.
Do not wear them during sports, swimming, sleeping and other physical activities. It is not necessary and you will prolong the life of the jewelry.