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How many of you know that certain birthstones corresponds to the 12 months in our calendar? The 12 birthstones has had a long and symbolic history that dates back to thousands of years ago – often having both biblical and astrological meanings.
Birthstones are believed to have healing properties and wearing them might help release physical, mental and spiritual 'blockages'. However, different birthstones have different special powers, that's why it's important to know which one to wear or which one suits you best. Before we dig deeper into the list of assigned birthstone for each month, there is something that is quite confusing that needs to be set straight first.
The month that you were born in does not necessarily decides your birthstone. Yeah, crazy huh.. Simply put, if you were born in January, your birthstone would be either of January or February.
Example:
Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18
Pisces: Feb 19 - Mar 20
If your birthday lies in this date-month, your birthstone will be Amethyst (February) even if your birthday is on January (from 21 until 31). Those born on January 1 - 20 would have Garnet as their birthstone.
Still confused?
Take it this way: birthdays that lie in the first half of the month will have their birth month same as their birth stone month
Now let's get to the list of birthstones, shall we? :)
Garnet is derived from the latin word garnetus meaning ‘seed-like' as compared to pomegranate seeds. They promote strong relationship & help in utilizing your inner strength. Also a very fun fact: the garnet family is one of the most complex in the gem and it consists of several species and varieties.
Depending on the type of garnet, you can choose from red, purplish, green, yellow, and orange options. It is not uncommon to find large garnet crystals with vibrant hues and clear transparency.
This gemstone with a lovely purple hue has been used for thousands of years for healing and empowerment. The purple color this stone has is also associated with the head chakra. Amethyst has a relatively high hardness of 7, which means it's very scratch resistant.
Specifically a purple variety of quartz whose saturation may range from pale to vibrant.
The word aquamarine is Latin for seawater. Aquamarine's association with the sea comes from the brilliant range of hues in which it appears - from an almost transparent blue to a deep ocean azure.
These stones can be found in both blue and blue/green hues. Aquamarine stones will always have light color saturation and tone so you will not see any dark blues or greens.
The famous "girl's best friend" that is prized for their classic beauty and clarity. Diamond jewelry has become a status symbol as well as the traditional stone used in engagement rings.
While the vast majority of diamonds are colorless, they may express a full rainbow of fancy colors. From rare reds to deep blues to warm yellows, there is a fancy colored diamond for all preferences and occasions.
A fine emerald is a truly breathtaking sight, and this member of the beryl family deserves its placement among the traditional "Big Four" gems, along with diamond, ruby, and sapphire.
The best emeralds express an even, deep green. Some may have blue undertones.
Myth has it that the first pearls were made when Venus, the Goddess of Love, came out of the sea shaking herself dry. The water droplets that propelled off her body reputedly hardened into pearls and fell back into the sea.
Pearls are now available in a range of colors including white, black, green, gold, silver, and various pastels depending on where they were farmed.
One of the most popular traditional jewelry stones, ruby is exceptionally durable. Its colors — always red — can reach vivid levels of saturation. Often associated with fire and blood, the gemstone invokes powerful feelings of warmth for mankind.
Rubies are a radiant red gemstone. However, you can also find rubies with orange or pink undertones.
Known as the gemstone born in fire, Peridot can be found in volcanic rock. The Romans called it the evening emerald, whereas the Greeks believed it bestowed royal dignity upon its wearer. However, the Egyptians dubbed it the gemstone of the sun because of its ability to ward-off anxiety.
The green hue of some peridot may overlap with the green color displayed by emeralds. However, peridot often features a unique yellowish overtone not observed in emeralds.
According to legend, a giant sapphire, upon which the Earth reportedly rested, was believed to have given its reflection to the sky. The French believed that the sapphire transformed stupidity to wisdom, and petulance to good temper.
Like rubies, sapphires are corundum gems. They occur in a full rainbow variety of colors, except red. Sapphires will be marketed according to their color, i.e., yellow sapphire or purple sapphire. However, the word "sapphire" on its own refers specifically to the blue variety.
An Aboriginal dreamtime legend has its own explanation for the creation of opals, which tells the tale of the creator coming to earth on a rainbow in order to bring the message of peace to all human kind. When his foot touched the ground, the stones were awakened and started sparkling in every colour of the rainbow.
Whereas with Tourmaline, no other gem comes in as many colors, including multi-colors as this October birthstone. Some of these color combinations are incredible!
Opal:
Tourmaline:
Opal
Some opals can display the phenomenon known as play-of-color, dazzling flashes of color that move as the stone is turned. Opals are the only gems that can show this effect, but not all opals do.
Tourmaline
Tourmalines occur naturally in a wide range of colors. Some of these color varieties are known by trade names. Dark pink to red tourmalines are called "rubellites." Neon-blue tourmalines known as "paraíbas" are highly prized. Tourmalines can even show zones of different colors in a single gem, like striking "watermelon tourmalines" with red, white, and green areas.
Sparkling gems make everyone smile, but Citrine is the true “happy stone”. It gets its name from the French word “citron”, meaning lemon, and emanates a yellow that's not dissimilar to the warmth of sunshine.
Citrines are famous for their warm orange and yellow hues, perhaps with some hints of brown. A notable proportion of citrines on the market come out of the ground as unimpressive amethysts or smokey quartzes. These stones are subsequently heated to enhance the yellow and orange colors.
Most blue topazes come out of the earth colorless or pale blue. A two-step heat and radiation laboratory treatment is then used to turn these stones vivid greenish blue. Blue topazes are not only beautiful but inexpensive.
Blue topaz are refered to by trade names such as "London Blue," "Swiss Blue," and "Sky Blue." London Blues have a dark steel blue or grayish blue color. Swiss Blues show a highly saturated greenish blue. Sky Blues show pale blue colors and may somewhat resemble aquamarines in hue and tone.
Thyra is a content creator. Previously a social media manager at a creative PR agency, she’s been in the creative industry for almost 4 years and is currently on a quest to empower people especially young women through her musings. As an individual who aims to live a simple life, she loves spending her time reading, writing and playing tennis—anything to be away from the hustle bustle.
