Environment

Throughout the history, people’s attitude towards minerals has been somewhat mixed. Some stones were believed to be sacred, the others were considered cursed, while the rest were essential to our very existence.

Among the five thousand minerals known to mankind, there is only one stone that we cannot live without. This one is crucial for the human body, same as food or water, but a completely irrelevant one from the perspective of jewellery.

Until the middle of the twentieth century, mankind was unaware of the existence of this stone. During the next twenty years, the mineral had no official name, and American and Russian scientists were fighting for the right to be considered its discoverers.

Among the most expensive minerals on earth are diamonds, sapphires, rubies, platinum and gold. The majority of people on this planet would consider owning these precious metals and stones as a sign of prosperity. However, 1.4 billion Chinese are unlikely to share the same opinion.

Garnet is a mineral which to a great extent resembles pomegranate seeds in appearance. However, while almost everyone had a taste of the fruit with wine-coloured seeds inside it, not everyone was lucky to to hold the stone in the hands.