Red Garnet – Associated with the Root Chakra. Hessonite is a variety of Grossular which, in turn, is a calcium aluminium variety of the Garnet gemstone group. Grossular is found in contact metamorphosed limestones with wernerite, wollastonite, diopside and vesuvianite.

Hessonite is found in deposits mainly in India and Sri Lanka and its source in its native matrix sometimes occurs. Other significant deposits can be found in California and Brazil.

Hessonite is also referred to as cinnamon stone and has long been mistaken for other stones such as Zircon. These zircon termed stones, which were notable for their ability to be engraved, where shown many years ago to be Hessonite by Sir AH Church, due to the differentiation in the gravity of the stone.

The name derives from the Greek word Hesson, which means inferior. This was due to the density of the stone being lower than many of the other Garnet varieties.

The stone is mainly mined in India and Sri Lanka and is used extensively for jewellery due to its attractive brown to orange colouring.