Home > Jewellery Information Guide > Birthstones

Birthstones

A birthstone is a gift of a precious material that symbolizes the month of birth. People have long noticed and appreciated the beauty of gemstones and often associated the gems with particular powers. This makes them an especially significant symbol and a lovely gift. Gemstones have always been associated with other things – in Greek and Roman times they were associated variously with the planets and with the gods. Thus it seems a natural development for them to come to represent something as significant and personal as birth months and for the belief to arise that the stone possessed a special virtue that it could transmit to those born in that month. To possess your birthstone is considered to be to possess something intimately associated with your personality and self. Gemstones can also be associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac. Click here to see a list of Zodiac Stones .

The first instance recorded of people wearing their birthstones was in Poland in the 15th or 16thC. Originally, it is thought that birthstones were worn in their appropriate month by everybody, since the powers of that gemstone were supposed to be heightened during that month, in which case, one would need a full set of twelve to rotate throughout the year! Gradually, however, it became more common for people to be connected with the single stone representing the month of their birth and the characteristics and luck associated with it.

List of Zodiac Stones


In the same way as birthstones, over time, gemstones came to be associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac. Those born under a particular sign are thought by some people to be influenced by that sign and to share common traits, and zodiac stones are associated with this connection. Fine jewellery incorporating the relevant zodiac stone makes a symbolic and thoughtful gift.

List of Zodiac stones:

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Diamond
Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Emerald
Gemini (May 21 - June 20): Rock Crystal
Cancer (June 21 - July 22): Pearl
Leo (July 23 - August 23): Onyx
Virgo (August 24 - September 22): Sapphire
Libra (September 23 - October 23): Zircon
Scorpio (October 24 - November 21): Opal
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21): Topaz
Capricorn (December 22 - January 21): Garnet
Aquarius (January 22 - February 18): Amethyst Moonstone
Pisces (February 19 - March 20): Aquamarine