Who chose birthstones?

The modern birthstone list was formulated by an organization known as'The Jewelers of America' in 1912 but Birthstones date all the way back to the Bible. Aaron, also known as “Aaron the Priest”, was the brother of Moses, a prophet of God, and the first High Priest of the Israelites.

How did they decide on birthstones?

While some sources such as 1st Century Roman-Jewish historian Josephus tell us birthstones originated on the breastplate of Aaron, with each representing the 12 months of the year and accruing 12 signs of the zodiac, others say the breastplate's stones signified each of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Where did birthstone originated?

The modern tradition of wearing one stone for their month of birth did not begin until the 16th century and originated in either Germany or Poland. This was the start of the birthstone trend we are familiar with today.

What were the original birthstones?

What are the birthstones by month? January is garnet, February is amethyst, March is aquamarine, April is diamond, May is emerald, June is alexandrite, July is ruby, August is peridot, September is sapphire, October is tourmaline, November is topaz, December is blue topaz. Learn more about these popular gemstones.

Who invented the birthstone chart?

The modern birthstone list was formulated by an organization known as'The Jewelers of America' in 1912 but Birthstones date all the way back to the Bible. Aaron, also known as “Aaron the Priest”, was the brother of Moses, a prophet of God, and the first High Priest of the Israelites.

History Of Birthstones | Jill Maurer

What is the rarest birthstone?

The Rarest Birthstones

For example, April's diamond, though pricey, is less rare than rubies, emeralds, and alexandrite. While on the topic of alexandrite, this is currently the rarest gemstone on the birthstone list and can come at quite a cost. Black opals are also incredibly rare.

Why should you wear birthstone?

Luck and Protection

Wearing birthstone jewelry uses that same idea. You'll not only feel more relaxed and composed, but they can also act as a good luck charm. It is believed that your birthstone is the ultimate good luck charm. For centuries, people have been using gemstones for good fortune.

Do all months have 2 birthstones?

Traditionally each month is associated with one birthstone but you will find some months have multiple birthstones. This fact does create some confusion but the multiple options for some months was created in order to allow more affordable options in addition to the traditional more expensive stones.

Why does June have 3 birthstones?

Why does June have 3 birthstones? The main reason why some months have multiple birthstones is because various ancient stones have become too rare, so it is less likely for them to be available on the market and to satisfy consumer needs.

Why do birthstones change?

Different cultures around the world have developed different birthstone lists over the centuries, altering birthstone choices according to availability and price. Birthstones have been and still are, changed based on availability of particular gemstones.

When did birthstones change?

It has changed only a few times over the last century. According to JA, it updated the list in 1952 to add alexandrite (June), citrine (November), tourmaline (October) and zircon (December) as birthstones, and again in 2002, when tanzanite became a birthstone for December.

Can you wear a different birthstone?

But, what happens if you wear the wrong birthstone? It is widely accepted that wearing the wrong birthstone can bring bad luck, poor health, and financial troubles to a person.

Which birthstone is the best?

But anyone who, by the luck of the draw, was born in April has been bestowed with the very best birthstone of them all: the diamond.

What 3 months have 3 birthstones?

December | Zircon, Tanzanite and Turquoise

December birthdays have claim to three gemstones; Zircon, Tanzanite and Turquoise. Each of these gemstones carries a unique blue tone making it a perfect birthstone for Minnesota's frigid December winters.

What is more expensive than a diamond?

There are many gems that are more valuable than diamonds. Emeralds, sapphires, rubies, garnets, and alexandrite, just to name a few.

Does birthstone affect health?

Birthstones are said to have healing properties. Wearing them may help release the blockages in the physical, mental and spiritual stage. It is believed that these supernatural gemstones have the power to focus the healing energy of the planet on your body through contact, this leaves you more relaxed and composed.

Can I wear my birthstone everyday?

First of all, you should make sure that your birthstone is hard enough to be worn on a daily basis and that's when the Moh's hardness scale comes in hand. Anything above 7.5 on the Moh's scale is good enough to be worn daily and anything below that should get special attention.

What is the most cheapest birthstone?

Topaz, a mineral made of silica, comes in almost every color and shade. Its hardness of 8 makes it ideal for virtually any type of jewelry, and it's fairly affordable compared to some other birthstones.

Is Jade more expensive than diamonds?

Gem-quality jadeite commonly comes in white or deep green but blue, crimson and black varieties have also been discovered. Thanks partially to Chinese demand, rare imperial green jade, a translucent stone that's been compared to fine emerald, is the most expensive gem in the world, worth more per gram than diamonds.

Why is July birthstone a ruby?

Rubies are often associated with wealth and prosperity. Many ancient crowns were decorated with rubies, because they represented good fortune and courage. The ruby's deep red color also has ties to love, passion, and raw emotion. Long ago, humans believed that rubies contained drops of Mother Earth's blood.

Does wearing your birthstone bring you good luck?

The wearing of birthstones is thought to bring good luck, good health, and protection. Astrologers long ago attributed supernatural powers to certain gemstones.

Why does March have 2 birthstones?

Like many other months of the calendar year, March has two birthstones because people like to have options when it comes to selecting birthstone jewelry. Some months, such as June, August, and December, have more than two.