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 they change the birthstones?

Modern birthstones

The Jewelry Industry Council of America updated the list in 1952 by adding Alexandrite for June, citrine for November and pink tourmaline for October. They also replaced December's lapis with zircon and switched the primary/alternative gems for March.

Do birthstones change every year?

But there are many other types of beautiful gemstones. In fact, each month of the year has a particular gemstone associated with it. We call these special monthly gemstones birthstones, since many people believe the particular gemstone that corresponds to the month of their birth has special properties.

How did birthstones get decided?

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.

How did birthstones get assigned to each month?

It was a religious garment with specific symbolism regarding the tribes. To highlight the special attributes of each tribe, the gems were set in four rows of three. Although birthstones have religious origins, modern day tradition dictates that the stones are assigned according to birth month.

All 12 Birthstone Colors

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.

What does the Bible say about birthstones?

Some 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.

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.

Who picked the birthstones?

In 1912, the Jewelers of America national association adopted an official list of 12 birthstones, one to represent each month of the year.

Why are there 2 birthstones for October?

In October's case, the opal was seen by many to be too feminine in appearance and there were questions about its durability. So the association decided to add tourmaline to the mix. More recently, it was decided that the October birthstones would be opal and pink tourmaline, specifically.

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.

What were the original birthstones?

According to first-century translations, the first row contained carnelian, chrysolite, and beryl. The second row contained jacinth, agate, and amethyst, and the third row contained topaz, onyx, and jasper.

Are birthstones real?

Birthstones can also have a semi-precious variant. Genuine birthstones are the natural gemstones associated with a birth month. In my listings a named gemstone means just that. As they are natural stones, the colors can vary from one to the next, and if they have inclusions in the stone or not.

Why does November have two birthstones?

In 1912, the Jewelers of America wanted to standardize the birthstones. Modern birthstones are based on what is easiest to sell in large quantities. This is why November has two birthstones. Topaz was the original birthstone, but citrine was later added as a more affordable option.

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.

What is the birthstone for all 12 months?

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.

How do birthstones work?

They theorized that each gem was connected to a certain month or astrological alignment and that they would receive therapeutic benefits for wearing one during that time. To receive the full benefit, people took to wearing one stone for each month of the year and attributed a different meaning and value to them.

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.

Does the Bible speak of chakras?

While chakras aren't mentioned specifically in the Bible, we can see that it is possible that just as God created our bodies with pathways for energy to flow (nerves, blood, lymph, meridians). He also created these energy centers throughout the body to receive and transmit energy messages.

What does 12 stones mean in the Bible?

Twelve Stones (twelve מצבות (matzevot) or standing stones) was a common form of marking a spectacular religious event in the days of Kingdom of Judah before the time of King Josiah (Deuteronomy 27:1–8).

What is the prettiest birthstone?

1. Emerald (May) The lush abundance of spring is mirrored in May's birthstone, the emerald, with its deep green hue, making it the best birthstone of them all.

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.