Let me start out by saying that a gemstone doesn't have to be your birthstone for you to wear it. There was a time when it was fashionable to wear the birthstone of the month regardless of your birthdate. So, it's January, let's all wear Garnet! And hey, if you have a birthday in January, wear MORE GARNET! It's kind of like everyone is celebrating your birthday by wearing your birthstone. Cool, huh?!
Now, let's talk about this most vibrantly colored gem!
When you hear "Garnet" you most likely call to mind the deep, royal red color, but this gem is found naturally in many colors! Tsavorite (the "t" is silent - "sav-0-rite) is a wildly brilliant green! But there are also yellow, pink, raspberry or purple (Rhodolite), a very rare blue, and even color changing! Red is the most traditional and well known color Garnet for January birthstones, but if you want to wear a Garnet and don't want to dress in red, opt for one of the many lovely variants!
Personally, I love this bold and warm red during the cold and often bleak January days. My favorite combination is to set the gem in blackened silver and yellow gold! It really ads a dramatic and regal flare!