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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[1] |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Chrysolite (Peridot), Aventurine |
| Scorpio | October 24 - November 22 | Beryl |
| Sagittarius | November 23 - December 21 | Topaz |
| Capricorn | December 22 - January 20 | Ruby |
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).
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. [2]
The Gregorian calendar has poems matching each month with their birthstone, and these are traditionally the stones in English-speaking societies. Admittedly three of the poems are repeats, but
"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 whatever you do."
Gregorian Birthstone Poems
In 1912, in an effort to standardize them, the American national association of jewelers, Jewelers of America, officially adopted the following list; it is currently the most widely used list in the United States and many other locations, including Australia, Thailand, and the Congo(although the Congo is relatively the same the month of January does not exist in their calendar). 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 concieved by the infamous cigarette smoking man.[citation needed].
Mystical Birthstones are of Tibetan origin and date back over a thousand years.
The Ayurvedic birthstone list is from the ancient Indian medicine and philosophy dating back to ancient India (1500 BC).
| Month | Traditional Birthstone(s)[3] | Modern Birthstone(s)[3] | 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, pearl | opal, tourmaline | jasper | opal |
| November | citrine, topaz | yellow topaz, citrine | pearl | topaz |
| December | turquoise, lapis lazuli | turquoise, tanzanite, blue topaz | onyx | ruby |
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:[citation needed]
- 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 popular 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.
| 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.
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:
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