Know Everything About Birthstone Origins: Stranger
than Fiction
In the Old
Testament, the book of Exodus tells the story of the Breastplate of
Aaron, used in religious ceremonies. (Aaron...just in case you were
absent from Sunday school that day...was the Biblical figure who
performed, at Moses' direction, the miracles that confounded Pharaoh
and his magicians.)
Aaron's
breastplate was adorned with four rows of gemstones, three gemstones
in each row, in the following pattern: Sardius, topaz, carbuncle; emerald,
sapphire, diamond;
ligure, agate, amethyst; beryl, onyx, jasper. These twelve gemstones
represented the twelve tribes of Israel. The twelve positions were
later co-opted by astologers who linked them to the twelve months of
the calendar year and the twelve signs of the zodiac.
The
Traditional Birthstone List contains these older birthstones and
represents birthstone traditions heralding back to the 15th century.
The Modern Birthstone List was created by the National Association of
Jewelers in 1912 in Kansas City, Missouri. Gemstone purists
complained that the NAJ list was devised solely for commercial
purposes (they probably didn't believe in Santa Claus either!). As a
result, astrologers who prescribed gems often substituted alternate
or secondary stones. The Mystical Birthstone list below originated in
from Tibet over a thousand years ago. The Ayurvedic Birthstone list
is derived from age-old Ayurvedic Indian Medicine, a practice of
native people for more than a century.
Month Modern
Traditional Mystical Ayurverdic
January Garnet
Garnet Emerald Garnet
February
Amethyst Amethyst Amethyst Bloodstone
March
Aquamarine Bloodstone Jade Bloodstone
April Diamond
Diamond Opal Quartz
May Emerald
Emerald Sapphire Agate
June Pearl
Alexandrite Moonstone Pearl
July Ruby Ruby
Ruby Ruby
August Peridot
Sardonyx Diamond Sapphire
Sept. Sapphire
Sapphire Agate Lapis Lazuli
October Opal
Tourmaline Tourmaline Jasper
November
Yellow Topaz Citrine Citrine Pearl
December
Turquoise Lapis Lazuli Onyx Ruby
Astrologically
speaking, your place on the Zodiac is more meaningful than your birth
month for tapping into your "power," which has led to the
creation of the following list of "Star
Stones" related to the star under which you were born,
rather than the day.
Capricorn
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) - Ruby, Agate, Garnet
Aquarius (Jan.
20-Feb. 18) - Garnet, Moss Agate, Opal,
Amethyst,
Pisces (Feb.
19-Mar. 20) - Rock Crystal, Sapphire, Amethyst, Bloodstone
Aries (Mar.
21-Apr. 19) - Bloodstone, Diamond
Taurus (Apr.
20-May 20) - Sapphire, Turquoise, Amber, Blood Coral, Emerald
Gemini (May
21-Jun. 20) - Agate, Chrysoprase, Pearl
Cancer (Jun.
21-Jul. 22) - Emerald, Moonstone, Pearl, Ruby
Leo (Jul.
23-Aug. 22) - Tourmaline, Sardonyx, Onyx
Virgo (Aug.
23-Sep. 22) - Jasper, Carnelian, Jade, Sapphire
Libra (Sep.
23-Oct. 22) - Opal, Lapis Lazuli, Peridot
Scorpio (Oct.
23-Nov. 21) - Aquamarine, Topaz
Sagittarius
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21) - Sapphire, Amethyst, Turquoise, Topaz
So whether you
choose an emerald
from the Breastplate of Aaron, a moonstone from Tibet's mystical
birthstone list, an opal for its ayurvedic birthstone properties, or
your very own "star sign" representative...may the force
(of the birthstone) be with you! |
