Pyrope garnet is a red variety of garnet, caused by minor amounts of iron and chromium. The name pyrope is derived from the Greek for ‘firey,’ referencing the rich red colour of this garnet. It was the pyrope garnet that was particularly popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, set in elaborate jewellery suites and named the ‘Bohemian garnet.’ In modern day jewellery, the warmth of the rich red colour, combined with the high lustre and hardness makes the pyrope garnet a popular gemstone for jewellery. Deposits of the pyrope variety of garnet have been found in Burma, China, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tanzania and the USA.
