Traditional Birthstones & Gemstones

Diamonds are the most common birthstone for engagement rings.

Aside from being popular gifts, birthstones are traditionally viewed as sources of mystical powers -- such as good luck and health -- for their wearers. Ancient cultures believed certain stones provided protection when worn as talismans, and that the stones' powers increased during certain months of the year. Only some birthstones are considered gems; gems are stones that are cut, polished and shaped by humans.

Spring

The two traditional birthstones for March are aquamarine and bloodstone. Aquamarine is a light blue gem, while bloodstone is a dark green jasper with red spots. The former gem is said to cool the temper of its wearer. The history of bloodstone dates back to the ancient Babylonians, who believed the stone had healing powers. Diamonds are the only birthstone of April. Although most diamonds are colorless, some come in yellow, purple, blue and other colors. May also only has one birthstone, the emerald. The emerald's history dates back to ancient Egypt, where it was mined in the fourth century B.C.

Summer

June's three birthstones are pearl, moonstone and alexandrite. Pearls are the only birthstones to come from live sea creatures; these birthstones are made by mollusks. Moonstones are semiprecious stones with a pearly white complexion. When light shines on the moonstone, the stone produces an iridescent blue or white color. Alexandrite was named after Czar Alexander II, who was ruler of Russia when the gem was discovered in 1831. Rubies are the only birthstones of July. Aside from diamonds, rubies are the hardest gemstone on Earth. The birthstones of August are peridot and sardonyx. Peridots are commonly a light green color, while sardonyx stones are onyx with reddish-brown and white banding.

Fall

Sapphire is the birthstone of September. Most of these gemstones range from light blue to dark blue; however, pink and green sapphires exist, and the stone can also be found in a multitude of other colors. Tourmaline and opal are the two choices for birthstones in October. An opal is made of the mixture of silica and quartz; the result is a brilliant array of colors such as blue, pink and green. Tourmaline gems come in a variety of colors and shapes; some stones are bicolor or tricolor. November's two gemstones are topaz and citrine. Citrine is a yellow gemstone and topaz has dark orange or brown hues; the highest-valued topaz, called Imperial topaz, is orange with pink undertones.

Winter

December features three birthstones: tanzanite, turquoise and zircon. Tanzanite is a blue or purple-colored gemstone, and turquoise is light blue stone commonly used for beads, carvings or inlays. Zircon comes in a variety of colors, but the colorless stones are often used in imitation-diamond jewelry. Garnet is a dark red gemstone and the only birthstone for January. This gem's name derives from the term "granatum," which is Latin for "seed"; the gem earned this name because of its resemblance to a pomegranate seed. The purple-colored gemstone, amethyst, is the birthstone for February. Most modern amethysts come from Brazil, but, historically, the Ural Mountains in Russia were a source for these gemstones.

References

• University of Texas at Austin - Texas Natural Science Center: Mineral Lore and Mythology
• University of Washington; The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture; Birthstones: Myth and History; Gena Schwam
• American Gem Society: March Birthstones
• Emporia State University; Alexandrite; Susan Ward Aber
• American Gem Society: October Birthstones
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Traditional Birthstones - Amethyst (February)