Garnets - January Stone of the Month

A new month brings a new Stone of the Month. The Stone of the Month for January is Garnet.

Garnets are adored for their dark red and brown tones and are a very good gift for a winter fashion piece. Garnets are considered to be the protective stone of travelers and when given symbolize ones love and desire for the safe return of another. The garnet is found all across the world having been discovered in Africa, Australia, India, Russia, South America and in the United States, in Arizona and Idaho. It is most commonly found in it's deep red form but does exist in other colors from yellow to orange, Rosy pinks to lime greens and violets. It's rich colors are caused by it's mixes of iron, calcium, and manganese.

There are many myths surrounding the garnet. There is a Greek myth which links the garnet to the story Persephone, the goddess of sunshine who was kidnapped by Hades, god of the underworld. Hades eventually did release Persephone, but first he offered her some pomegranate seeds, which ensured her return to him. There is also one Biblical legend is that Noah hung this gem on the ark so that it could light his way throughout the dark and stormy nights of God's wrath across the great sea. 

The Garnet tests a six point five to seven point five on Mohs scale of hardness. It may be necessity to have your Garnet Jewelry buffed every five to ten years to keep it looking at it best quality. Not all Garnet is gem quality however and much of the Garnet that is mined is used for commercial purposes. Garnet jewelry is fairly common and is the perfect gift for any January birthday.

Here at Gems N' Loans we take our gems seriously and garnet is no exception! 

5 Tips on Selling Your Gold Jewelry

The price of gold continues to rise, making your gold jewelry more and more valuable.  If you are in need of extra cash, selling your gold jewelry could be a great way of getting it. 

However, we recommend that you do your homework first, so you’ll be ready to make informed choices of how to properly sell your gold.

1. Know Your Karats 
Gold in its pure state is very soft and must be combined with other elements when creating jewelry. The term “karat” is a measure of how much gold there is in proportion to the other metals. For example, “14 karat” means that there is 14 parts gold to 10 parts other metals. When you take your gold in to sell it, be sure to keep the different karat values separated.

2. Know Your Jewelry 
All gold jewelry is not created equal. In other words, some fine jewelry is actually worth more than the gold it’s made of. If the designer is famous, for example, Cartier or Tiffany, and that name is stamped in the gold, the value of the jewelry itself increases over the value of what the gold would be if it was melted down.

3. Know the Market 
Shop around by taking your gold jewelry to several different buyers before actually handing it over. This will give you a good idea of what the market is offering, and which buyers are offering you the fairest deal. And be sure to know the market price of gold on the day you plan to sell your jewelry.

4. Know the Law 
As you can imagine, the high market value of gold these past few years has created an increase in robberies and the selling of stolen gold jewelry. To counteract this illegal activity and to protect consumers, the federal government requires that gold buyers ask to see government-issued ID of the seller. A red warning flag should go up if the buyer you are working with does not ask for your ID.

5. Know Your Buyer 
As with any money-making strategy gold buyers come in all sorts and types, from home “gold parties,” to fly-by-night outfits, to professional buyers with good BBB (Better Business Bureau) ratings. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable buyer before you actually sell your gold jewelry.

For example, at Gem ‘N Loans we pay top dollar for your gold, based on market value fluctuation. We have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and have been in business for 20 years. Once you have done your homework you are ready to join the thousands of people who are cashing in on the current gold market which is at a ten-year high. Now you can sell your gold jewelry with confidence and enjoy the extra cash it will put in your pocket.