Birthstones belong to the month in which you were born, sometimes to your birthday or zodiac sign. Gemstones have been used as jewelry for a long time, but not only that. It is nice to know the history behind the stone and to know which stone belongs to which month and what properties are attributed to the stone. There are various lists circulating, the list that is usually used was drawn up in 1937 by the English ‘National Association of Goldsmiths’.

Contents

• Birthstone, month stone and zodiac stone
• The stones for the month…
• The gemstones for your birthday:

Birthstone, month stone and zodiac stone

Magical powers have been attributed to gemstones for a long time, they are not just jewelry but often powerful amulets and talismans. Many stones, according to ancient societies, have healing powers or the stones bring luck and prosperity to the wearer. The stone is not only beautiful, the stone improves life or protects life. Even a passage from the Bible talks about gemstones. In Exodus (28:15.30), the breastplate of the high priest Aaron is discussed in detail:Set on it four rows of stones: the first row is a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald; the second row by a garnet, a sapphire and an aquamarine; the third by an amber, an agate and an amethyst, and the fourth by a turquoise, an onyx and a jasper, all set in gold sockets. There must be twelve stones, as there are twelve names of the sons of Israel. There is some discussion about the stones and the translation of the text, but the foundation of twelve stones is laid here.The origin of the month stones, birthstones and zodiac stones can probably be found in this breastplate. Over the centuries, the stones have been attached to the constellations and the months of the year . There are several known lists and whether they combine zodiac signs and gemstones or months and gemstones, they are similar and all differ. Why was it important to attribute a gemstone to a zodiac sign or a month? These special stones were seen as important and powerful amulets and if you chose the stone that belonged to your birth month or zodiac sign, the effect was even more powerful.Do you choose a month stone, a stone for your zodiac sign, the stone of your birth day (these are also available)? In the Middle Ages, some smart people came up with a solution, you simply made a piece of jewelry in which each month stone was incorporated. The month stone of the month of your birth provided extra luck and the other gemstones gave you protection in the other months. Whatever you think about the powers of gemstones, the supposed magical and protective powers make the birth, month and zodiac stones special.

The stones for the month…

January: grenade

Source: Starbright, PixabayA special stone that would have illuminated the way of Noah with his ark. In Greek mythology the stone is connected to poor Persephone. Hades had kidnapped the grain goddess to his realm of the dead and fed her pomegranate seeds. Once you have eaten something in the dark realm of Hades, you cannot go back. The name of the stone is said to be derived from the Latin granatus, which means seed. It is the stone for knights and warriors, including the crusaders who wore the stone as an amulet. Swords and armor were decorated with this stone. The grenade is hard and has been used for bullets by Asian tribes in the past.Although the garnet can be found in different colors, the red pyro remains the most popular. Pyrope is derived from the Greek pyropos, fiery. Given its history as a hero stone, it is not difficult to figure out what this stone mainly stands for: courage, power, authority, faith and grace.

February: amethyst

Source: Stux, PixabayThe name of the stone is derived from the Greek ‘amethystos’, meaning not under the influence or not intoxicating. The stone owes its name to a Greek myth. The Roman god of wine Bacchus had his eye on a beautiful nymph, Amethys. Amethys saw nothing in the wild god, but he didn’t care. Amethys asks the goddess Diana for help. This turns the nymph into a stone the moment Bacchus touches her. The dashing god gives the stone the color of his favorite wine, violet.The amethyst is a beautiful violet stone. It seems to have been the favorite of Saint Valentine, so his name day falls on February 14. Yet the stone’s meaning has little to do with this saint . The stone is said to protect against drunkenness and also support the wearer in piety and celibacy. The stone became popular in the church because of the latter properties. But it was not only the church that liked to use the stone, various royal houses had the amethysts set in their state jewelry. Catherine the Great (of Russia) even sent hundreds of troops to Siberia to look for the amethyst. The lady was not only concerned about protection against drunkenness. The stone is also said to do wonders for the skin.

March: aquamarine

This beautiful stone was named after the seawater. The Latin words aqua (water) and mare (sea) were combined. The most beautiful stones are bright blue, but the color can vary between pale blue to blue-green. In Roman times it was said that the aquamarines had fallen from the jewelry boxes of the sirens. The sirens were a kind of evil demigoddesses who stranded ships.In the past, the stone was mainly worn by sailors as an amulet, sometimes with an image of Neptune engraved in the stone. With an aquamarine on a chain around your neck you can face all dangers at sea.The stone is also seen as the symbol of love, hope and safety. An aquamarine would do wonders for a marriage that needs a boost. But healing powers are also attributed to the stone. The stone is said to be good to use against stomach and throat pain.

April: diamond

Source: ColiN00B, PixabayThe hardest of all gemstones and the most talked about. The almost mythical stories surrounding the stone are countless and diamonds are a girls best friend! The Star of Africa has been part of the British Crown Jewels for almost a century, as has the, perhaps most famous, Kohinoor. The most talked about was the Taylor-Burton diamond. Richard Burton bought it for Elizabeth at their (1st) wedding for $1000,000. Upon divorce, Elizabeth sold this stone for five times that, with the proceeds going to a charity project. The name of the stone is derived from the Greek adamas, which means invincible or indomitable. Both qualifications refer to the stone, not the wearer. The stone is said to cure diseases if worn at night and owning a diamond is said to bring wealth to its owner.

May: emerald

Source: Jorfer, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)The spring stone is the green emerald. Cleopatra couldn’t get enough of the stone. The oldest stones found come from Egypt. The Incas and Aztecs saw it as a sacred stone and the Indians also gave the emerald healing power. The stone is also associated with clairvoyance. If you hold the stone under your tongue for a while, you can see into the future. But the stone can do more. The stone gives the wearer wisdom and patience, it strengthens love and can remedy visual impairment.

June: pearl

Source: Qiye, PixabayPearls grow in oysters. A pearl is formed by a contaminant in the oyster. Pearls are therefore organic jewelry and used to be quite rare. You had to dive a thousand times before you found one perfect pearl. Nowadays, many pearls are formed because people place small stones in an oyster. There is an old story in which Cleopatra bewitched her Mark Antony with a hand full of pearls, he was lost forever. The Romans believed that a pearl gave the wearer wisdom and strength. In addition, pearls are bringers of luck and success.

July: ruby

Source: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons (PD)The king among stones is called the ruby. For centuries, the ruby has been seen as the most precious stone on earth. The stone is strong, has a beautiful red color and is quite rare. The beautiful red color made the stone the symbol for love and passion. But a ruby can do more. The stone can discover the devil! It was previously thought that the stone darkened when evil was near and lightened when evil disappeared. The stone had to hang around the neck of the rightful owner. The ruby also protects against bad luck and gives courage and authority. The most famous ruby is the DeLong Star Ruby. The stone was donated to the American Museum of Natural History in New York and stolen in 1964. After paying a ransom of $25,000, the ruby was found in a telephone booth.

August: peridot

Source: Michellejo, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)The Egyptians called the stone of the sun the peridot. (The name olivine or chrysolite is also often used.)The peridot is said to bring happiness to a marriage, give self-confidence and physical strength. The stone is also said to slow the aging process, which may have made it a favorite stone of Cleopatra, but she had many favorites. The color of the peridot, yellow-green, makes it resemble an emerald. Many peridots have probably been set in royal jewelry over the centuries.

September: sapphire

Source: Kayac, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)This heavenly stone is found in many different colors but the true sapphire is blue. Protective powers have been attributed to sapphires over the centuries. The stone is said to protect against poisoning, even from poisonous snakes. In addition, the stone can heal all kinds of physical complaints. The stone could cure colic, blindness and rheumatism. The stone also belonged to witches because they could predict the future with the help of the stone. Furthermore, the nicest feature of the stone, the stone recognizes honesty. When the stone is worn by someone who is not honest, or cheats on his (or her) partner, the stone loses its shine.

October: opal

Source: My file, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)There are several legends surrounding this colorful stone and its origins, but the most beautiful is perhaps that of the Aboriginals in Australia. One beautiful day the creator came to earth over a rainbow. He came with a message of peace for all people on earth. Opals were formed where his feet touched the ground. This is how the first opals were born. The story gives two important characteristics of the stone, it is as colorful as the month of October can be and the stone symbolizes peace and hope.

November: topaz

Source: Johnno49, PixabayThe topaz makes men attractive and intelligent and women fertile and happy, at least that is the popular belief surrounding this stone. The stone is said to prevent depression, relieve anxiety, work against poisoning and protect against sudden death. The Greeks and Romans connected the stone with the supreme gods Zeus and Jupiter and the stone is said to give the wearer strength.December: turquoiseSource: Adrian Pingstone, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)It is also called the sacred stone. Throughout history, magical powers have been attributed to this stone. The stone was used by medicine men all over the world to heal ailments and give wisdom. The stone has been important as a talisman or amulet. The stone warns of impending danger when it changes color. The latter is true, the stone can change color. Whether this is the effect of sunlight, cosmetics, the functioning of the skin or impending danger is up to the wearer to judge. Turquoise protects against the Evil Eye and brings wealth to its owner. The heavenly blue color perhaps says the most, a little piece of heaven on earth.

The gemstones for your birthday:

It is a list that has been circulating for years and was probably drawn up sometime in the Middle Ages. The list has little to do with Aaron’s gems.

• Monday: pearl
• Tuesday: grenade
• Wednesday: chrysoberyl (The only stone that has not yet been mentioned. It is a fairly expensive and certainly special stone. A famous variant of this stone is the alexandrite, the stone is almost green-blue in daylight and red in artificial light. The stone has been seen for centuries as a powerful protector. The stone also stands for tolerance and harmony. The stone belongs to Wednesday and the zodiac sign Leo.)
• Thursday: emerald
• Friday: topaz
• Saturday: sapphire
• Sunday: ruby

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