Birthstone

Early civilizations such as India and Babylon have attributed gemstones with magical properties. Over time, astrologers assigned gems of certain colors to the twelve signs of the zodiac to help people influence the planets in their favor.

Sign	Dates	Stone
Aquarius	January 21 - February 18	Garnet
Pisces	February 19 - March 20	Amethyst
Aries	March 21 - April 20	Bloodstone
Taurus	April 21 - May 21	Sapphire
Gemini	May 22 - June 21	Agate
Cancer	June 22 - July 22	Emerald
Leo	July 23 - August 23	Onyx
Virgo	August 24 - September 22	Carnelian
Libra	September 23 - October 23	Peridot
Scorpio	October 24 - November 22	Beryl
Sagittarius	November 23 - December 21	Topaz
Capricorn	December 22 - January 20	Ruby

Birthstones

A birthstone is a gift of a precious material (jewelry, mainly gemstones; themselves traditionally associated with various qualities) that symbolizes the month of birth in the Gregorian Calendar. It is sometimes also called birthday stone (cf. infra; but that word is, confusingly, sometimes used as a synonym for an anniversary gift, which is related to the recipient's age, that is, year of birth).

Traditional birthstones

Often combined with modern birthstone lists, traditional birthstones are older society-based birthstones. Since many different cultures had their own list, jewelers' lists are often inconsistent over what constitutes a traditional birthstone. The table below contains many stones which are popular choices, often reflecting Polish tradition.

The Gregorian calendar has poems matching each month with its birthstone. These are traditionally the stones in English-speaking societies. Three of the verses are repeats,

By her who in January was born
No gem save garnets shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity.

The February born shall find
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If they, the amethyst will wear.

By her who in March was born
No gem save Bloodstone shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity.

She who from April dates her years,
Diamonds shall wear,
lest bitter tears
For vain repentance flow.

Who first beholds the light of day
In spring's sweet, flower month of May
And wears an Emerald all her life
Shall be a loved and a loving wife.

By her who in June was born
No gem save Pearls shall be worn
They will ensure her constancy
True friendship and fidelity.

The gleaming Ruby should adorn,
All those who in July are born,
For thus they'll be exempt and free,
From lover's doubts and anxiety.

Wear a Peridot or for thee,
No conjugal fidelity,
The August born without this stone,
`Tis said, must live unloved; alone.

A maiden born when autumn leaves
Are rustling in September's breeze,
A Sapphire on her brow should bind;
To bring her joy and peace of mind.

October's child is born for woe,
And life's vicissitudes must know,
But lay an opal on her breast,
And hope will lull those woes to rest.

Who first comes to this world below
In dreary November's fog and snow,
Should prize the topaz amber hue,
Emblem of friends and lovers true.

If cold December gave you birth
The month of snow and ice and mirth
Place on your hand a turquoise blue;
Success will bless whate'er you do.

— Gregorian Birthstone Poems

Modern birthstones

In 1912, in an effort to standardize them, the American national association of jewelers, Jewelers of America, officially adopted a list, shown in the "Modern" column in the table below. It is currently the most widely used list in the United States and many other locations, including Australia and Thailand. Some alternates have been adopted to be a less expensive substitute for a cut stone. Tanzanite was added to December by the American Gem Trade Association in 2002. Most organizations do not recognize tanzanite as a December birthstone, however, and the AGTA's move to make it a December birthstone has generally been viewed as a marketing ploy.

Mystical birthstones

Mystical Birthstones are of Tibetan origin and date back over a thousand years.

Ayervedic birthstones

The Ayurvedic birthstone list is from the ancient Indian medicine and philosophy dating back to ancient India (1500 BC).

Birthstone lists

Month	Traditional Birthstone(s)	Modern Birthstone(s)	Mystical Birthstone	Ayurvedic Birthstone
January	garnet	garnet	emerald	garnet
February	amethyst	amethyst	bloodstone	amethyst
March	bloodstone, jasper	aquamarine	jade	bloodstone
April	diamond, sapphire	diamond	opal	diamond
May	emerald, agate	emerald	sapphire	agate
June	alexandrite, emerald	moonstone, pearl	moonstone	pearl
July	ruby, onyx	ruby	ruby	ruby
August	sardonyx, sapphire	peridot	diamond	sapphire
September	sapphire, peridot	sapphire	agate	moonstone
October	tourmaline, aquamarine	opal, tourmaline	jasper	opal
November	citrine, topaz	topaz, citrine	pearl	topaz
December	zircon, ruby	turquoise, blue topaz	onyx	ruby

History of birthstones

The first century Jewish historian Josephus proclaimed a connection between the twelve stones in the Aaron's breastplate, the twelve months of the year and the twelve signs of the zodiac. The Breastplate of Aaron, 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.

The precise list of birthstones however 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:

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. . .

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.

The custom of actually wearing birthstones first gained popularity in Poland in the fifteenth century. Tradition suggested everyone wear the birthstone for each month, since the powers of the gemstone were heightened during its month. For the fullest effect, indivuduals needed to own an entire set of twelve gemstones and rotate them monthly.

Birthday stones

While this word has also been used as synonym of Birth stone (see above), there is a separate list of assignment according to the day of the week of the recipient's birth:

• Monday: Pearl
• Tuesday: Garnet
• Wednesday: Cat's eye (Chatoyant Chrysoberyl)
• Thursday: Emerald
• Friday: Topaz
• Saturday: Sapphire
• Sunday: Ruby

Birth flowers

Month	Flower
January	Carnation, Snowdrop
February	Violet
March	Daffodil (Jonquil)
April	Daisy, Sweet Pea, Tulip
May	Sunflower, Lily of the Valley
June	Rose, Honeysuckle
July	Larkspur
August	Lily, Gladiolus
September	Forget-me-not, Morning Glory
October	Calendula (Marigold), Camellia
November	Chrysanthemum
December	Holly, Narcissus

Just as there are alternatives with birthstones, there are also alternatives with birth flowers. For example, October is often listed as calendula (marigold) , but is also occasional noted as being rose or camellia.

References

• Jewelers of America leaflet