Everyone has a birthstone, and birthstone jewelry is a thoughtful and unique gift for anyone who enjoys wearing their personal stone.
Traditionally, each month of the year has a gemstone associated with it. Where did the custom come from? Encyclopedia Brittanica states that “Supernatural powers have long been attributed by astrologers to certain gemstones. Wearing the gem associated with one’s birthday is commonly thought to bring good luck or health.”
Another theory is that tradition of birthstones arose from the Breastplate of Aaron: a ceremonial religious garment set with twelve gemstones that represented the twelve tribes of Israel and also corresponded with the twelve signs of the zodiac and the twelve months of the year.
Whatever the reason, beautiful rings, necklaces, earrings and pins in the 12 traditional birthstones have been valued and worn for hundreds of years.
Here are the traditional gems for each month of the year:
January: Deep red Garnet is the traditional stone for January birthdays. Garnet displays the greatest variety of color of any mineral, occurring in every color except blue. For over 5,000 years, the rich burgundy red color and vivid, translucent color have made garnet a favorite gemstone. Set in gold, garnet radiates warmth.
February: Brilliant, deep purple Amethyst is the birthstone for February. A variety of quartz, Amethyst has long been part of crown jewels – a reference to “Royal Purple”. According to Greek myth, Amethyst, a lovely maiden on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana, was turned into a pillar of crystal to protect her from tigers unleashed by an angry Dionysius. Amethyst gem stones come in many shades of purple, but must be purple to be considered amethyst.
March: The birthstone for the month of March is Aquamarine. Like emerald, this light blue stone is a variety of beryl. Associated with water, aquamarines are particularly valued by those who live by and on the sea. Sailors used to wear talismen made of aquamarine to protect them from the elements. Good quality aquamarine stones will have clear bright colors.
April: April’s birthstone is the Diamond, found in Kimberlite, an ancient volcanic rock. Diamonds have been prized for all kinds of jewelry for centuries and are beautifully matched with all of the other birthstones. High quality diamonds will have a good balance of the four “C’s – cut, color, clarity and carat weight.
May: Rich green Emeralds are the birthstone for the month of May. With vivid, saturated color, emeralds define the color green. Cleopatra was known for wearing lots of huge emerald jewelry, and gave emeralds carved with her portrait to her important visitors. Emerald is a variety of beryl, which includes the light blue aquamarine.
June: June birthdays are represented by the Pearl. An organic gem created by layers of nacre around an irritant inside the shell of the oyster, the unique iridescent luster of pearls make jewelry that has been prized for centuries all over the world. Simple and elegant, pearls are beautiful when made into strands for necklaces, or as a single pearl earring.
July: The birthstone for July is the Ruby. With its eye-catching fiery crimson color, it’s a variety of corundum, like sapphire, and has the same natural vibrancy. The best rubies have good color depth and transparency. The Burke Museum web site states that “Ancient Hindus referred to it as “the king of gems,” and royalty used ruby to ward off evil because it was believed to have magical powers. One such magical power was that the ruby would get darker in the presence of evil and lighter when the evil was gone-but only if possessed by its rightful owner”.
August: Peridot is August’s birthstone. Treasured from the Middle East to the Pacific, peridot’s unique bright yellowish-green sparkles, especially when paired with diamonds. Ancient Egyptians called it “the gem of the sun”.
September: Brilliant deep blue Sapphire is the birthstone for September. From the same gemstone family as the ruby, sapphires have velvety blue shades and bright highlights. In ancient times some people believed that sapphire had medical healing properties, such as the ability to cure colic, rheumatism, blindness, and mental illnesses. Sapphires are particularly beautiful when set with diamonds in white gold or platinum.
October: The birthstone for October is the Opal. The endless color flashes give a unique experience whenever the stone is moved or turned. To enhance their fiery play of color, opals are cut into cabochon shapes, rounded without facets, as opposed to the faceted shapes of other gem stones. Opals were valued by ancient monarchs in the belief that the stones would ward off evil powers.
November: Citrine’s golden yellow orange color is the traditional birthstone for November. Evocative of autumn’s vibrant colors, citrine gets its name from the French word for “lemon”. Like amethyst, citrine is a variety of quartz, and its warmth, paired with gold, add a bright splash of color to any piece of jewelry. Like all varieties of quartz, citrine was thought to have magical powers.
December: Rounding out the year of birthstones, December’s stone is the Blue Topaz. With its range of radiant bright blue hues, blue topaz has been used in fine jewelry for thousands of years. An alternate birthstone for December is Turquoise. Prized by Native Americans, and a staple feature in their silver jewelry, Turquoise comes in shades of blue from aqua to green.
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