How durable is garnet?

Garnet durability can land somewhere between fair and good, with a Mohs hardness that swings from about 6.5 up to 7.5 depending on the particular species. Because of that, it tends to be a reasonable choice for careful everyday wear, though you still need to treat it gently.

The garnet family covers several separate minerals, each with its own physical behaviour. Almandine and pyrope are usually on the hard side and quite sturdy, while demantoid and tsavorite tend to be a bit less resistant, more prone to scuffs and sharper impacts. Also, garnets do not have cleavage, which helps give them respectable resistance against sudden, catastrophic shattering.