What is your birthstone?

Birthstones are a fun way to celebrate your birth month. Each month has its very own gemstone. Wearing your birthstone is considered very lucky and is thought to provide the wearer with good fortune.  

Giving personalized birthstone jewelry is a special way to celebrate someone's birthday. There are many items these days with birthstones such as rings, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, ceramic statues and dolls with birthstone necklaces.

A widespread modern survival of the talisman tradition is the use of gems as birthstones. This has a long and fascinating history. In many civilizations all around the world certain stones, not necessarily the same ones, became associated with the recurrent lunar cycles and hence with the zodiac. These lunar stones were then considered to be auspicious for wear during that month or, later, for wear by persons born under the planetary influences prevailing in the month of their birth. The stones were credited with transmitting sympathetic vibrations emanating from astral influences, with drawing strength and beneficent radiations from the sun, moon and the planets and with the ability to retain these virtue of their hardness.

The practice of wearing monthly birthstones was common at different periods among Romans, Arabs, Jews, Indians, Spaniards, Russians, Italians and other peoples, but only from the eighteenth century onward did the practice of wearing stones appropriate to the month of one's birth spread gradually from central Europe to the West. There was, however, no consistency and very different lists of monthly birthstones were advocated by different authorities. Happily this list was finally accepted and it has been in common international use:

Birthstones have specific characteristics and are often believed to provide a wide variety of healing powers. The following are the birthstones' meaning:

January

Modern: Garnet

Characteristics of the Garnet include consistency, endurance, creativity and patience. Although the Garnet is traditionally red in color, the stone ranges from a colorless hue to black but does not come in blue. Garnet is the daily gemstone for Tuesday and the planetary gemstone for the zodiac sign of Scorpio.

Ancient: Garnet

February

Modern: Amethyst

Meanings associated with the Amethyst are sincerity, intuition and motivation. A member of the Quartz family, the Amethyst is thought to calm nerves and emotions and provide mental clarity. The Amethyst is the daily gemstone for Thursday.

Ancient: Amethyst

March

Modern: Aquamarine

The Aquamarine depicts courage, creativity, health, perception and hope. It is also associated with awareness and spiritual energy. Aquamarine is the planetary gemstone for the zodiac sign of Pisces.

Ancient: Bloodstone

The Bloodstone stands for health, passion, courage and strength. A variety of Quartz, the Bloodstone is thought to strengthen the immune system and to contain healing properties.

April

Modern: Diamond

The diamond symbolizes innocence, eternity, courage and health. The purest of all the gemstones and the hardest substance known to man, the diamond has an ability to reflect light, which many believe increases personal clarity of the mind and body. Diamonds are the daily gemstone of Saturday.

Ancient: Diamond

May

Modern: Emerald

Love, success, happiness and goodness are some of the meanings associated with the Emerald. Many believe that wearing an Emerald brings life, heals mental and emotional causes of physical illness. The Emerald is the daily gemstone for Friday and the birthstone for the zodiac sign of Taurus.

Ancient: Emerald

June

Modern: Pearl

The Pearl stands for faith, charity, innocence, health and peace. These organic gemstones are believed to aid anger issues and increase creativity. The Pearl is the daily gemstone for Monday.

Ancient: Alexandrite

The meanings associated with the Alexandrite are joy, luck, courage and love. This rare gemstone helps to align mental and emotional and aid in spiritual transformation and regeneration.

 

July

Modern: Ruby

Characteristics of the Ruby include nobility, love, contentment, enthusiasm and strength. Rubies are thought to open the heart and promote love, allowing joy to come to those who wear it. The Ruby is the gemstone for the Zodiac sign of Scorpio.

Ancient: Ruby

August

Modern: Peridot

Success, peace, married happiness, luck and courage are associated with the Peridot. A symbol of a pure heart and mind, the Peridot also stands for innocence and faith.

Ancient: Sardonyx

The Sardonyx is believed to bring happiness to marriage and relationships. The gemstone exudes good fortune, strengthens self-control and brings courage to those who wear it.

September

Modern: Sapphire

The Sapphire symbolizes clear thinking, wisdom, serenity, purity and truth. Many believe that those who wear the Sapphire are better able to distinguish between the mind and the spiritual self, enhancing mental clarity. The Sapphire is the daily gemstone for Wednesday.

Ancient: Sapphire

October

Learning about birthstones and their meaning continues with the month of October.

Modern: Opal

The Opal stands for hope, purity, health and innocence. Many believe that those who wear the Opal will be treated to a greater understanding of life's possibilities and will discover new and different views of the world they live in. Opals are also believed to assist in healing.

Ancient: Pink Tourmaline

Pink Tourmaline stands for love, peace and compassion. Tourmalines are used to strengthen the body and spirit.

November

Modern: Topaz

Courage, fidelity, wisdom and serenity are the characteristics of the Topaz. These gems are associated with mental clarity and focus and many believe that those who wear them will experience a reduction in mood swings and worries.

Ancient: Citrine Yellow

The Citrine Yellow depicts energy, optimism and warmth. Citrine is believed to help the body release tension and increase flexibility. Citrine is the gemstone for the zodiac sign of Virgo.

December

Birthstones and their meaning continues with the gems of December.

Modern: Blue Zircon

Meanings associated with the Blue Zircon are success, love, luck, happiness and prosperity. Zircons are thought to increase intuition, durability and steadiness. Many believe that those who wear the Zircon will experience a decrease in depression and insomnia.

Ancient: Turquoise or Lapis Blue

The Turquoise or Lapis Blue represents happiness, peace and patience. Many believe that wearing a Turquoise or Lapis Blue will aid in healing as well as bring understanding, wisdom and kindness.