History
The Oldest Gemstone
The oldest gemstone is Zircon, the birthstone of December. The oldest samples of the mineral has been dated to be 4.4 billion years old. That is nearly as long as the earth, which is dated to be 4.56 billion years old. Colorless Zircon can be passed off diamonds. Other colors of Zircon include golden-yellow, green, blue, brown and red.
The Newest Gemstone
The newest gemstone, and the only one added since the official birthstone recognition in 1912, is Tanzanite.
Tanzanite is extremely rare, still only found in the Mererani Hills of Manyara Region, where it was originally found. Tiffany & Co. named the gem after Tanzania, where it is mined.
Tanzanite is found naturally in three colors, blue, violet and brown. To get the most beautiful shades of tanzanite, the gem must be heat treated. Most stones are heat-treated, so there is no difference in value between heat treated and non heat treated gems.
Origination
The first 12 birthstones are said to have originated on the breastplate of Aaron. God instructed him to make a breastplate inlaid with 12 gemstones.
The instructions were specific; make a square of gems precious stones with four rows of three gems each. The stones were there to represent each of the twelve sons of Isreal, and engraved with the name of the twelve tribes.
“The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 18 the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 19 the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; 20 the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper.[b] Mount them in gold filigree settings.” Exodus 28, 15-30 NIV.
An Alternate Theory
There is another theory that suggest the birthstone gems and colors were chosen, one per apostle. The theory is that each apostle was represented by one gem.
While the Bible tells us that the gems were already a representation of the twelve sons and tribes of Israel, there is reason to believe that later, the gems were also recognized as symbols of the apostles.
Zodiac Birthstones
Birthstone history has long been associated with the zodiac calendar. For many years, gemstones were said to have healing powers and astrologers were often sought after for advice when it came to healing.
Every single native from the zodiac has a link with one or more precious or semi precious stones, charms helping them to surpass difficult situations and even speed up their recovery from an illness.
Find out which are the colors, but also the lucky stones matching your sign, but also the their significance. The link between stars and the welfare of the signs is more important than you think! Click on your zodiac signs and find out more about your lucky gemstone.
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What is my zodiac birthstone ?
- Aries – red jasper and emerald
- Taurus – pink quartz and green aventurine
- Gemini – Safire and aquamarine
- Cancer – Moonstone and Turquoise
- Leo – sunstone and black onix
- Virgo – Sapphire and Carmelian
- Libra – pink opal and lapis lazuli
- Scorpio – ruby and black tourmaline
- Sagittarius – turquoise and blue agate
- Capricorn – amethyst and cat eye crystal
- Aquariues – rock crystal and blue topaz
- Pisces – ocean jasper and aquamarine
Protection and healing powers
Originally, birthstones were meant to be worn as a form of protection. Each stone had special strengths. Then, when the stone was worn by a person born under the same sign as the stone, the stones strengths were enhanced.
Men wore their birthstones when they went out to protect and provide for families. At home, the stones were worn to protect against disease of the mind and body.
Healing Powers
It was common for healers to use gemstones to help cure their patients. For instance, citrine was used to heal digestive ailments, aquamarine was said to be an antidote to poison and pearls were used to cure insanity. There wasn’t a lot of science to the beliefs held by these healers, but there was a little proof in some cases. Opals were said to be the cause of the black death.
Those who wore an opal on their skin would change color as the wearer got sick and died due to the lack of heat coming off the body. Although we know gemstones won’t be healing anyone anytime soon, there are many people who still look at them as being good luck.
Modern Day Calendar and Birthstone Colors
In 1912, the National Association of Jewelers met to discuss and adopt the official birthstone list as we know it today. The list has only been updated twice.
The first time was in 1952, to adjust the colors of one stone, and add and drop others. The next time it was altered was in 2002, when tanzanite was added to December. The modern list was based off the original zodiac calendar of birthstones, but when the list was standardized, more affordable gemstone options were added to certain months.
The current birthstone list is as follows:
- January – Garnert
- February – Amethyst
- March – Aquamarine & Bloodstone
- April – Diamond
- May – EmeraldJune – Pearl & Alexandrite & Moonstone
- July – Ruby
- August – Peridot & Sardonyx
- September – Sapphire
- October – Opal & Tourmaline
- November – Topaz & Citrine
- December – Turquoise & Zircon & Tanzanite
Modern birthstone history might be based upon selling more jewelry, but originally, gemstones were used as protection for the wearer, and healing for the sick.
Jewelry
If you’re looking for the perfect gift, birthstone jewelry might be just what you are looking for.
There are many reasons to buy jewelry with a birthstone inset. Most notably, it is used to signify the birth month of a loved one. Buying a gift with the perfect gem, shows the time and care you took in selecting a gift.
For Mom
Mother’s day is just around the corner. (May 11th) Don’t wait until the last minute to buy something for mom. The most popular gifts include a birthstone to represent each of her kids.
Another popular choice is the tree of life, with birthstone insets.
The tree of life has been used throughout the ages to show that we are all connected.
The “family tree” is a variation of the tree of life, and we know our family tree as the genealogical hierarchy of our family.
For Daughters
If you’re looking for a gift to give you daughter, there are a lot of beautiful options to choose from. To start with, you could get a butterfly necklace, engraved with her name and birthstone. If she is more of a dragonfly jewelry type girl, you might consider doing the same thing with a dragonfly necklace.
Prom Jewelry
Prom is a perfect time to give your daughter a gift from the heart. Personalize her jewelry to match her dress, personality and birthstone.
If you’re looking for a gift to give your date, you don’t have a to spend a lot of money. (We all know how expensive prom can be!) Look around Amazon for a small bracelet, or set of earrings that you know she will love. If you add a birthstone to it, you’re showing her that you’re willing to pay attention to even the smallest detail.
Bridesmaid Jewlery Sets
Bridesmaid jewelry can be tough to pick. Sometimes the bride is very specific with what she wants, and other times, it’s completely up to you to decide.
Pearls, say classic, while Diamonds, say expensive. Don’t worry though, no matter what the wedding colors are, you’re bound to find a birthstone that will match. Reds can turn to garnet and ruby.
Blues have many shades and stones to choose from including, aquamarine, alexandrite, topaz, turquoise, and tanzanite. Greens have the gemstone of May, the emerald.