Hallmark
didn’t invent the concept of birthstones, however; it came from the Bible! In
Exodus chapters 28 and 39, there is much discussion about a burnished and
stone-set breastplate of the High Priest of the Hebrews. Here is the biblical
description of the breastplate:
And he made the breastplate,
artistically woven like the workmanship of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple,
and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. They made the breastplate square
by doubling it; a span was its length and a span its width when doubled. And
they set in it four rows of stones: a row with a sardius, a topaz, and an
emerald was the first row; the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and a
diamond; the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; the fourth row, a
beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold in their
mountings. There were twelve stones according to the names of the sons of
Israel: according to their names, engraved like a signet, each one with its own
name according to the twelve tribes.
(NKJV, Exod. 39:8-14)
These twelve stones from the famous
breastplate became linked with the twelve signs of the zodiac, resulting in our
cherished modern tradition of birthstones. The long history of birthstones has
many more chapters, but an important point to know is that your birthstone is
yours by divine right and birthright. I know I was thrilled when I found out
amethyst was mine, even though it was ranked as semiprecious. All I knew was
that it was purple, my favorite color.
What you need to know about your
birthstone is that it is a major power source for you. You should have at least
one piece of jewelry made from your birthstone, and treat it as the special
stone it is. You should also keep this sacred personal stone around in other
forms as well. I have a candleholder made of a large amethyst geode on my
mantelpiece surrounded by candles. Just lighting the candle immediately calms
and centers me. I realize you can’t do that with diamonds, although Herkimer
diamonds can be substituted nicely. If you are a January Capricorn, for
instance, and your birthstone is garnet, you can have an entire set, or parure,
of garnet jewelry—rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces—for the fullest
expression of birthstone power. Surround yourself with your birthstone energy
and you will feel at peace, filled with well-being from your gem-fired glow.
Here is the classic list of birthstones
by month.
-JANUARY: garnet, a stone
symbolizing a light and loyal heart and lasting affection
-FEBRUARY: amethyst, a sexy and
sensitive stone; Cleopatra’s royal ring
-MARCH: aquamarine, long known as
a soothsayer’s stone, and bloodstone, long known as the martyr’s stone
-APRIL: diamond, the traditional
engagement ring, which represents the power of love
-MAY: emerald, a lovely green
stone of protection
-JUNE: pearl, moonstone, and alexandrite—all
moon and sea stones powered by water
-JULY: ruby, the most highly
prized gem of all and a symbol of the essence of life
-AUGUST: peridot, the ancient
symbol of the sun, and sardonyx, an intelligence-enhancing stone
-SEPTEMBER: sapphire, a true blue
gem that represents the purity of the soul
-OCTOBER: opal, said to contain
the beauty of all other gems, and tourmaline, a stone of inspiration
-NOVEMBER: topaz, a stone of
royalty, named for the Sanskrit word for fire
-DECEMBER: turquoise, which
brings luck, and zircon, the traveler’s stone
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