Garnet is not just a red stone. Here’s a systematic breakdown of its 6 mineral species, color varieties, pricing data, and a diagnostic flowchart for telling it apart from ruby. Garnet Gemstone — A Developer’s Guide If you think garnet is just “a red birthstone for January” — you’re missing 95% of the family. Garnet is actually a group of over 20 silicate minerals with the same crystal structure but different chemical compositions. Only about six are used as gemstones. This guide provides a systematic, data-oriented overview — think of it as API documentation for a gemstone family. Table of Contents The “Big Six” Garnet Species (The Root Classes) The Varieties You’ll Actually See in Jewelry The Color Spectrum: From Red to Blue-Green Price by Type: A $5 to $20,000 Range Garnet vs. Ruby: A Diagnostic Flowchart At-Home Tests: Magnet, UV, Refraction Care & Maintenance Checklist Full Reference 1. The “Big Six” Garnet Species (The Root Classes) All garnets inherit from one of these six “base classes”.…