Antique Bohemian Garnet Brooch

On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate antique bohemian garnet brooch for your needs in our varied inventory. Every item for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using Gold, Silver and Gilt Metal. If you’re looking for an antique bohemian garnet brooch from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 19th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 19th Century. While most can agree that any antique bohemian garnet brooch from our collection can easily elevate most outfits, but the choice of a Garnet version from the 16 available is guaranteed to add a special touch to your ensemble. Today, if you’re looking for a cabochon version of this piece and are unable to find the perfect match, our selection also includes rose cut and mixed cut alternatives. Finding an antique bohemian garnet brooch for sale for women should be easy, but there are 6 pieces available to browse for unisex as well as men, too.

Prices for an antique bohemian garnet brooch can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $184 and can go as high as $3,500, while this accessory, on average, fetches $616.

Vintage and antique garnet jewelry has been around for a long time.

Garnets have been used for adornment going all the way back to the Bronze Age. While we will never know if garnets can be used to prevent plagues or heal warriors, as has been suggested, we do know that both the Egyptians and the Romans felt that it was a worthy stone to set in gold for their nobility. In more “recent” times, garnets were ubiquitous in Victorian jewelry. The “G” in REGARD rings, the equivalent of the modern-day engagement ring, implied garnet.

Garnets were also highly valued in the region of Bohemia. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History has in its collection an antique hairpin with Bohemian pyrope garnets from the Czech Republic. Bohemian pyrope got its name from Bohuslav Balbín, sometimes referred to as the “Czech Pliny,” in 1679. Abundant in the region, it was used often in jewelry during this time. In fact, it became so popular that in 1762, Empress Marie Terezie forbade its export. Stonecutting workshops opened in several regions across Bohemia, and pyrope became the country’s mineralogical symbol. While there was never a decline in its popularity, it was only in the mid-20th century that garnets enjoyed a revival.

Garnets can come in many shapes and sizes — one of the largest ever discovered is a 68.82-carat Tsavorite garnet. This stone is also in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

According to the Gemological Institute of America, Brazil’s mines are rich in garnets, including spessartine, which can also be found in the Myanmar area, recognized for a specific shade of reddish-orange. While red garnets are the most popular, garnets actually come in a medley of colors.

Find a collection of antique and vintage garnet rings, necklaces and other jewelry today on 1stDibs.