On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate large garnet stone for your needs in our varied inventory. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using
Gold,
18k Gold and
Yellow Gold. Find an antique version now, or shop for 6 vintage or 5 modern creation for a more contemporary example of these cherished accessories. You’re likely to find the perfect large garnet stone among the distinctive items we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 20th Century as well as those produced as recently as the 21st Century. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic large garnet stone over the years, but those made by
Bulgari and
H. Stern are often thought to be among the most beautiful. A large garnet stone of any era or style can lend versatility to your look, but a version featuring
Garnet, from our inventory of 9, is particularly popular. A
brilliant cut version of this piece has appeal, but there are also
baguette cut and
oval cut versions for sale. When shopping for a large garnet stone, you’ll find that there are less available pieces for unisex or
men today than there are for
women.
Prices for a large garnet stone can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $945 and can go as high as $35,500, while this accessory, on average, fetches $3,100.
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.