Click the tartan to view its entry in The Scottish Registers of Tartans which includes registration details, restrictions, and registrant information.
Unregistered tartans may link to one of the web's online design environments for similar information.
For any questions about reproduction of designs or weaving of these tartans, please contact the registrant directly or via this website.
January's Birthstone
"By her who in January was born
No gem save garnets shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity."
~ Harriet Bishop
Happy New Year to all January birthdays! This month is beautifully represented by the Garnet, its traditional birthstone, and it's namesake tartan representing the clear red and deepest of dark red garnets. While the red garnets are the most familiar, these stunning gems actually come in a wide array of colors, including orange, yellow, green, purple, brown, blue, black, pink, and even colorless! The name "garnet" originates from the Latin word garanatus, meaning "seedlike," a nod to its resemblance to the vibrant seeds of a pomegranate. Garnets have a rich history—Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) was once a renowned source of these gems, adorning the interiors of grand castles and churches with their striking beauty. In medieval times, garnets were cherished as protective talismans, believed to guard warriors in battle, cure depression, prevent bad dreams, and even heal ailments like liver diseases and hemorrhages. Closer to home, Ruby Bay in Fife, Scotland, owes its name not to rubies but to the pyrope variety of garnets often referred to as "Elie Rubies." Here’s to the vibrant, multifaceted beauty of the garnet and for those celebrating this month, Happy Birthday! ❤️ 🖤 ❤️ 💎 📆 🎂
January's birthstone, the garnet, is thought to be named after the seeds of the pomegranate.
The garnet has long been a popular adornment for pharaohs, kings, and nobility, prized for its reputed powers for health and protection. Noah’s ark was even said to have had a garnet lantern to help guide its way.
Because of its blood-red color, garnet was thought to encourage good circulation. And during medieval times, garnets were also believed to lift the spirits and guard against nightmares.
Garnets became especially popular for the masses beginning in the 1500s through the 1800s when a huge deposit was discovered in Bohemia, now a region in the Czech Republic.
The Garnet tartan, designed by Carol A.L. Martin represents the various hues of red garnets which can range from a bright clear red to deeper purple. Garnets, however, can also occur in shades of oranges, greens, and yellows, blue, and even a colorless variety.
For more on the colors and varieties of garnets, click the red garnet above.