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They may seem like a clever modern invention dreamed up by a marketing genius but birthstones have a long and fascinating history. The tradition of assigning meaning to gems goes back thousands of years.
The legend of the birthstones actually has its roots in religion. The long winding tale goes all the way back to the Bible and the story of the priest Aaron’s gemstone encrusted breastplate which featured twelve stones. As the centuries passed, linking a gem to a specific meaning or power continued to grow. However, it wasn’t until the 1500’s that Europeans began to correlate a gem to a certain birth month. Still, the gems we know as birthstones today were not the original ones. It was only in 1912 that birthstones were made “official” by the Jewelers of America Association. While there have been a few minor changes such as the addition of a stone for certain months, this list became the standard for the jewelry industry and beyond.
love, vitality, truth, passion
strength, sincerity, peace, wit
courage, hope, intellect, youth
strength, love, loyalty, faithfulness
kindness, intuition, objectivity, loyalty
good luck, creativity, clarity
calm, strength, love, knowledge
happiness, peace, balance, compassion
protection, wisdom, tranquility, creativity
creativity, inspiration, empathy, calm
energy, optimism, happiness
confidence, courage, wealth
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*Please note that all metaphysical/ healing properties are for informational/entertainment purposes and do not constitute advice or recommendation concerning the treatment of physical, mental, or emotional medical conditions. The Jewelry Junket does not guarantee the validity of any of such statements.
