You’d be hard pressed to find someone who didn’t know their birthstone. For the most part, we mostly love beautiful high quality gemstones, but whether you’re a June baby who wouldn’t be caught dead in pearls or a September child happy be anointed in sapphires, you probably hold some kind of sentiment about your Birthstone.
Love them or hate them, birthstones continue to lead jewellery making decisions- especially when they are being chosen on your behalf. So, who came up with the original birthstone chart? And why did it become such a popular reference? And how can you overcome the temptation to reach for the birthstone menu when you choose a gemstone for someone else? We go into depth on the age-old birthstone history, why it matters, why it doesn’t and why it exists in the first place.
If you were asked to take a wild guess at the time in which the birthstone chart was first developed, what would you guess? Lots of people assume, for some reason that birthstone charts appeared in the 1970s with the wild jewellery that appeared at that time. But if you guessed the 70s, you’d be wrong.
The birthstone chart in its original form can be traced back to Biblical times, and a religious garment called the Breastplate of Aaron. The breastplate consisted of 4 X 3 rows of gemstones, 12 in entirety. It wasn’t until writer Flavius Josephus (1st century AD) took it upon himself to align the stones to the 12 signs of the zodiac, and he pushed the idea that each depicted gemstone directly correlated with one of those 12 astrological signs, and that holding the stone relevant to you was beneficial to your health and could potentiate a state of uplifted spirituality.
Although the modern perception of the birthstone chart has evolved over the years, the basics are still there: to each his own stone.
In 1912, the modern list of birthstones was laid out by the National Association of Jewellers in the USA. Although variations and second stone options are often found, the consistency of main stoned remains as follows:
- January – Red Garnet
- February – Amethyst
- March – Aquamarine
- April – Diamond
- May – Emerald
- June -Pearl
- July – Ruby
- August – Peridot
- September -Sapphire
- October -Opal
- November -Yellow Topaz
- December – Turquoise
If you’re choosing a stone and you haven’t earned much experience in which stones would suit you or the person you’d like to buy one for, a birthstone chart can be a great start- but the important thing is to consider whether the assigned stone is recommended to the person who will be wearing it. Not all pearls suit every person born in June, and this fact can be widely applied across all birthstones!
The Australian Diamond Company are pleased to offer the highest level of advice and support when assisting you in your choices. For more information, or to book an appointment with a member of our professional team, please reach out today.
