The term garnet is thought to have derived from the Greek word Granatum - referring to the red seeds of the pomegranate fruit. Although certain varieties of garnets are red, they occur in every colour of the spectrum except blue. Garnet, like tourmaline and quartz, does not refer to one distinct type of mineral, but rather to a group consisting of many variations and colours. All garnets belong to the cubic crystal system, and some varieties consist of the remarkable rhombic dodecahedron, which has twelve sides, and diamond shaped faces. Garnets are also known to appear differently in incandescent light.

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