A birthstone is a gemstone that represents a person's month of birth. They are often used in personal jewelry like rings or pendants.
Origin
How did certain gemstones become associated with the months of the year? Experts believe that birthstones can be traced back to the Bible. In Exodus 28, Moses sets forth directions for making special garments for Aaron, the High Priest of the Hebrews. Specifically, the breastplate was to contain twelve precious gemstones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
Later, these twelve stones were likely also linked to the twelve signs of the zodiac. Eventually, they also became associated with the twelve months of the calendar year.
Throughout history, there have been many myths and legends associated with birthstones. Many cultures have believed that birthstones have magical healing powers or bring good luck. Not all cultures have agreed on which stones correspond to which months, though, so you can find different lists of birthstones over the course of time.
Wearing Birthstones
The history of birthstones and how they are worn stretches back over many centuries. The idea of a person wearing their birthstone became popular during the fifteenth or sixteenth century in Poland.
The traditional belief was that everyone wears the specific birthstone assigned for each month since the powers of the gemstone were heightened during its month. To get the total effect, it was thought that individuals needed to own an entire set of twelve gemstones and rotate them monthly.
Gemstones are worn today for beauty and are often chosen for aesthetic reasons. It is still common to wear your own birthstone or one of someone significant to you. Birthstone jewelry also makes a great personal gift for someone special. There are endless jewelry options available whether it is a necklace, bracelet, earrings, a ring or even worry stones.