When you think back to your first piece of “real” jewelry, you may recall that it showcased your birthstone, a gem associated with the month in which you were born. Birthstones are said to bring luck and protection to those who wear them, personal amulets to treasure forever. Today, birthstone jewelry is a popular gift for those receiving their first piece of jewelry, to new moms celebrating the birth of a child by wearing the baby’s birthstone. So how did our fascination with birthstones begin?
Twelve Magical Gems
The bejeweled breastplate of Aaron, the high priest of the Israelites, as mentioned in the Bible’s Book of Exodus, started the link between gemstones and an association with a higher consciousness. The breastplate contained twelve gemstones, each one represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The gems were thought to hold magical powers, but at that time they were not connected to a month. It was, however, the first time that gemstones were associated with twelve.
Gemstones and Astrology
First century historian Flavius Josephus believed that there was a connection between the gems in Aaron’s breastplate, the twelve months of the year and the twelve zodiac signs. A few hundred years later, in the fifth century, St. Jerome also attached gemstones to a month and astrology. At that time people were collecting gemstones related to each month and wearing them all together in one piece of jewelry. Eventually, people began wearing one gemstone associated with a month of the year. A gem was thought to have super magical powers during its assigned month.
It wasn’t until the 1700s in Europe, possibly around Germany or Poland, that the practice of wearing a gem related to a person’s specific birth month began. It has been suggested by historians that birthstone jewelry was influenced by travel and trade with India. In Hindu culture, birthstones are an integral part of a personal astrological chart as well as a zodiac sign. The gem is worn as protection and for luck. Europeans were most likely guided by this connection of gems to birth dates.
Assigning A Month to Birthstones
The enthusiasm for birthstone jewelry blossomed in the early 20th century as European immigrants came to America in the late 1800s bringing sets of zodiac stones with them. By the early 1900s the desire for zodiac, or birth month stones, was trending. The popularity of birthstones was duly noted by the American National Retailers Jewelers Association, which got its members together to create a list assigning a gemstone to a particular month. Two key factors in the list: The gems had to be readily available with an abundant supply. Around the same time, retailer Tiffany & Co., recognized a marketing opportunity for birthstones, tapping its gem expert George Frederick Kunz to write a brochure on birthstones and their meanings.
When the birthstone list was created in 1912, it had one gem for each month, however in 1952 the Jewelry Industry Council of America revised it, adding a second stone to some months. That revision stayed in place until 2002 when tanzanite was added as a December birthstone and it was changed again in 2016 when Spinel was added as a second gem for August.
Here’s a list with all the birthstones for each month: 
January: garnet
February: amethyst
March: aquamarine, bloodstone
April: diamond
May: emerald
June: pearl, alexandrite
July: ruby
August: peridot, sardonyx, spinel
September: sapphire
October: opal, pink tourmaline
November: topaz, citrine
December: turquoise, lapis lazuli, tanzanite
Your Personal Birthstone
Birthstone jewelry is one of the most personal jewelry gifts that you can give someone or buy for yourself. Wearing a birthstone doesn’t have to be limited to just your month. You may want to wear your birthstone combined with your partner’s birthstone, your children’s birthstones, that of a favorite relative, close friend or even your pet. And today with the expanded list of birthstones, some months have two or three gems, so you can choose your favorite.
Top of Page: Zodiac clock courtesy Pixabay.
Cabochon garnet and 18-karat gold ring, signed Verdura; Aquamarine, diamond and 18-karat white gold earrings, signed Verdura; Edwardian emerald, diamond and platinum ring, French, circa 1910; Opal, 18-karat gold and silver leaf brooch by Boivin, 1938, accompanied by a statement of authentication; Citrine and 18-karat gold bib necklace, circa 1960s; Lapis lazuli, diamond and 18-karat gold ring, circa 1970s.
Authored by Amber Michelle