Next time you have a loved one who is celebrating their birthday, anniversary, or any other milestone in life, consider giving them the gift of a birthstone to celebrate it. Gem-lovers will appreciate the thought and that you went out of your way to research a custom gift.
What makes it a custom gift idea? To understand this, first, you must get a better understanding of what birthstones are.
In this article, you will learn what they are, a brief history, and which birthstone is right for your loved one or even you (wink, wink). Keep reading for the scoop!
What Is a Birthstone?
It represents the period of a person’s birth date and associates that period with a gemstone. Birthstones tie to the month someone is born or to the person’s zodiac sign. Some believe that wearing them will bring you luck.
Jewelry makers can include these gemstones in a piece of jewelry or as a pendant in a necklace. To get an idea of how a birthstone works with jewelry, check it out here.
About Birthstones
Your birthstone has a history. Josephus, a first-century Roman-Jewish historian, tells a story that birthstones are from the breastplate of Aaron. Each birthstone represents each month of the year.
Others believe that the stones on the breastplate symbolize the 12 tribes of Israel. In the eighth and ninth centuries, there are religious treaties that contain language associating a stone with apostles.
There are more modern theories, too. They include folklore. These accounts do not correlate to religious connections or the breastplate.
Some people believe that wearing birthstones enhances therapeutic properties.
Birthstone Guide
In 1912, the National Association of Jewelers gave a standard list of birthstones. In 1952, the Jewelry Industry Council of America updated the list. They did not add tanzanite until 2002 as a December stone.
Here are the birthstones according to the timeframe or month of the year.
- January- most commonly known for its red color, the birthstone garnet
- February- purple or strong reddish purple at its finest is the birthstone amethyst
- March- the valuable color of blue or green blue is the birthstone aquamarine or the birthstone bloodstone
- April- a girl’s best friend, the birthstone diamond
- May- at its most desired color pure green or bluish green is the birthstone emerald
- June- often pale tint of off-white is the birthstone pearl or it can be the birthstone moonstone or the birthstone alexandrite
- July- slightly purple or vibrant red is the birthstone ruby
- August- mostly famously is the yellowish-green birthstone peridot or the birthstone spinel
- September- typically blue is the birthstone sapphire
- October- most commonly white with a rainbow pastel of shades is the birthstone opal or it can be the gemstone tourmaline
- November- the birthstone topaz is usually blue or it can be the gemstone citrine
- December- a mixture of pale blue and green is the birthstone turquoise or it can be the birthstones zircon or tanzanite
The zodiac birthstones are different. Here is the tropical zodiac list of birthstones.
- Aries (Mar. 21- Apr. 19)- bloodstone
- Taurus (Apr. 20- May 20)- sapphire
- Gemini (May 21- June 20)- agate
- Cancer (June 21- July 22)- emerald
- Leo (July 23- Aug. 22)- onyx
- Virgo (Aug. 23- Sep. 22)- carnelian
- Libra (Sep. 23 – Oct. 22)- chrysolite
- Scorpio (Oct. 23- Nov. 21)- beryl
- Sagittarius (Nov. 22- Dec. 21)- topaz
- Capricorn (Dec. 22- Jan. 19)- ruby
- Aquarius (Jan. 20- Feb. 18)- garnet
- Pisces (Feb. 19- Mar. 20)- amethyst
No matter which month you are born, there is a beautiful birthstone that associates with it, which is likely why they are so coveted.
What Are Birthstones?
Are you thinking of the perfect gift idea for you or someone you love? Well then, what are birthstones? Birthstones are a perfect gift!
Now that you understand the uniqueness and history of birthstones, you now have something special, memorable, and sentimental to shop for.
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