Birthstones are gemstones that correspond to the month of our birth. It is customary all over the world to wear a piece of jewelry or solitaire rings with the stone corresponding to our month or to give jewelry with the corresponding stones as a birthday gift or to new mothers.
Birthstones: An Overview of History
The tradition of birthstones is not new. There are historical accounts that place birthstones in Biblical times , specifically in the second book of the Bible where Aaron’s breastplate which was decorated with twelve stones is described. Several years after this mention, the 12 stones were associated with the 12 months of the year, and around the 5th century their use was promoted by Christians, thus establishing this tradition which in the beginning was somewhat different from the present day.
The mythology of birthstones
In the beginning, people acquired a collection that included all 12 stones bound in different gold jewellery and wore one each month according to its corresponding stone. The belief was that all stones are powerful, but they reach their ultimate power during the month they represent, so the protection they offer is stronger then. The modern tradition of wearing only one of these 12 stones as an amulet, the one that corresponds to our birth month, probably originated in central Europe around the 16th century.
Birthstones: What month does each one correspond to?
The official list of birthstones for each month in some cases includes more than one choice and is as follows:
January: garnet
February: Amethyst
March: Aquamarine
April: diamond
May: emerald
June: pearl/Alexandrite
July: ruby
August: Peridot/Sardonyx/Spinel
September: Sapphire
October: Opal / Tourmaline
November: Yellow Topaz / Citrine / pink Tourmaline
December: turquoise / tanzanite / blue zircon
