Grossular Garnet Beads

Explain the Name and They’ll Remember the Gemstone

Grossular garnet is named for the gooseberry plant, whose scientific name is grossularia. Like many names handed down through the ages, “gooseberry” is somewhat misleading, especially if you’re thinking of a large white bird that is combined with fruit!

Gooseberries come in more than one color, but green is especially common. Most familiar with the Chinese gooseberry may not realize that it’s an alternative name for kiwi, which is green when peeled. You can explain “grossular” to a customer by saying that it refers to a popular green fruit, like the delicious kiwi, which of course shares its color with some of our green-shaded grossular garnet gemstones.

Green Varieties Just Look Expensive

Grossular garnet spans the color spectrum, except for blue. It varies in intensity from dark to white examples.

Garnet has been appreciated throughout the ages for its beauty and versatility, and has been found on nearly every continent. There are many different types of garnet, including the rare and valuable demantoid type, which shines brightly in various shades of green. Top-quality grossular garnet beads can sometimes be mistaken for this more expensive variety, and you can choose from several purchase options that feature that alluring green shade.

Garnet: A Birth and Zodiac Stone

Crafters will want to include garnet in their inventories in order to take advantage of its associations with the calendar and zodiac. It is the birthstone for January and is paired with Aquarius, a star sign that overlaps between January and February. Our grossular garnet beads come in pleasing shades of color that have universal appeal. From the bead’s varied greens to darker selections that span tawny brown, bronze, and charcoal, it’s easy to fit this diverse stone into your collection.