On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate color change garnet for your needs in our varied inventory. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from
Gold,
18k Gold and
White Gold — can elevate any look. Find an antique version now, or shop for 1 vintage or 14 modern creation for a more contemporary example of these cherished accessories. Making the right choice when shopping for a color change garnet may mean carefully reviewing examples of this item dating from different eras — you can find an early iteration of this piece from the 20th Century and a newer version made as recently as the 21st Century, both of which have proven very popular over the years. For this particular piece,
1.5 Carat and
2 Carat are consistently popular carat weights. Finding an appealing color change garnet — no matter the origin — is easy, but
Coomi,
Cynthia Scott and
D and A Style each produced a popular version that is worth a look. Today, if you’re looking for an
oval cut version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes
cushion cut and
pear cut alternatives. When shopping for a color change garnet, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for unisex or
men today than there are for
women.
Vintage and antique garnet jewelry has been around for a long time.
Garnets have been used for adornment going all the way back to the Bronze Age. While we will never know if garnets can be used to prevent plagues or heal warriors, as has been suggested, we do know that both the Egyptians and the Romans felt that it was a worthy stone to set in gold for their nobility. In more “recent” times, garnets were ubiquitous in Victorian jewelry. The “G” in REGARD rings, the equivalent of the modern-day engagement ring, implied garnet.
Garnets were also highly valued in the region of Bohemia. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History has in its collection an antique hairpin with Bohemian pyrope garnets from the Czech Republic. Bohemian pyrope got its name from Bohuslav Balbín, sometimes referred to as the “Czech Pliny,” in 1679. Abundant in the region, it was used often in jewelry during this time. In fact, it became so popular that in 1762, Empress Marie Terezie forbade its export. Stonecutting workshops opened in several regions across Bohemia, and pyrope became the country’s mineralogical symbol. While there was never a decline in its popularity, it was only in the mid-20th century that garnets enjoyed a revival.
Garnets can come in many shapes and sizes — one of the largest ever discovered is a 68.82-carat Tsavorite garnet. This stone is also in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.
According to the Gemological Institute of America, Brazil’s mines are rich in garnets, including spessartine, which can also be found in the Myanmar area, recognized for a specific shade of reddish-orange. While red garnets are the most popular, garnets actually come in a medley of colors.
Find a collection of antique and vintage garnet rings, necklaces and other jewelry today on 1stDibs.