Birthstones & Gems Birthstones and Gems
What's a birthstone? Simply put, it's a stone which is linked to the month of your birth. So if you were born on May then your birthstone is the emerald.
So what's your Birthstone? Well, that depends. The Wikipedia states that the American National Association of Jewelers created the modern list of birthstones in 1912.
There are other lists, though. You can see some of them in our birthstone chart. In addition to the modern list, you find a traditional list, plus lists for the mystical and ayurvedic traditions.
But birthstones in general have a tradition that dates back thousands of yearseven as far back as Biblical times. For example, the Breastplate of Aaron, which is referred to in Exodus 39:10-14:
- 10 Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row there was a ruby, a topaz, and a beryl;
- 11 in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
- 12 in the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
- 13 in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings.
- 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
Now, they probably didn't use these names for the gems back in those days, but the modern names are believed to refer to the correct gemstones.
The precise list of ancient birthstones can be found in Revelation 21:19-20, where the foundation stones of the new Jerusalem are listed, in the order of the Roman calendar:
- 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
- 20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Since then the traditions of which stone, and which color, goes with which month has varied from time to time. The astrologers have one list, the Ayurvedics another, and then there's our modern list. The modern list was designed primarily to sell jewelry, so has little astrological or spiritual significance.
Want more? Check out the following pages for more details on your favorite birthstones.
- January Birthstone - Garnet birthstones
Garnets, the January birthstone, have been widely known for thousands of years. Even Noah, it is reported, used a lantern from Garnet in order to safely steer his Ark through the darkness of the night
- February Birthstone, the Amethyst
The amethyst is the february birthstone and, in finer quality examples, is a beautiful purple color.
- March Birthstone - Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the traditional birth stone for March. It is also the accepted anniversary gem for the 19th year of marriage.
- Diamonds, the April Birthstone
April's birthstone is the perennial first choice for engagement rings, but is it also the anniversary gem for the 10th and 60th years of marriage
- May Birthstone - Emerald
The May birthstone is the emerald. If you were born in May then this gorgeous green stone will bring luck to its wearer in the month of May and just looks great reagardless of the month
- June Birthstone - the Pearl
Pearls, of course, are formed when a tiny grain of sand or mineral lodges in the body of certan mollusks, oysters, for example, and the animal responds to that irritating grain by secreting nacre.
- July Birthstone - Red Red Ruby
The Ruby's rich red color speaks of love and passion and fire. Some have said that the July birthstone gets its color from an everlasting eternal fire...
- August Birthstone - Peridot
A beautiful green to yellow-green in color, the peridot is often mistake for an emerald. In fact, legend has it that Queen Cleopatra preferred Peridot over other gems...
- September Birthstone -Sapphire
Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gemstone given for anniversaries of the 5th and 45th years of marriage.
- October Birthstone - Opal
There are several october birthstones, depending on which tradition you want to look at. Those who believe in the older menaings of gems scoff at the modern list
- November Birthstone - Citrine
The traditional november birthstone is also Citrine, but the mystical tradition has the pearl and the Ayurvedics use the Topaz.
- December Birthstone - Topaz
December’s recognized birthstone is the Blue Topaz. This blue gemstone is the traditional anniversary gemstone for a couple’s fourth anniversary.
Birthstone Links and info
- A more traditional view of what birthstones are about, tying them into astrology. Actually, he says the modern list is bunk.
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