Birthstones: Personalize your hand-made birthday cards or scrapbook pages with traditional gems and colors Birthstones
are the colorful precious and semi-precious gems
traditionally associated
with the months of the year. In gemstone lore, they originated
in the Old Testament book of Exodus, where there is a
description
of colored stones representing the twelve tribes of
Israel, which were set into the breastplate of the High Priest.
The order of the stones (or it may be argued, the stones'
colors)
was later codified in the New Testament book of Revelation as the
twelve Foundation Stones of the New Jerusalem. (For a well-researched
discussion of this subject, visit J.J. Kent's Precious Stones Guide, Volume 9).
Over time, each stone became identified with a month of the year as well as distinct powers of energy and healing. By the 18th century, written references describe the fashionable practice of wearing your birth month gem in jewelry, often engraved with the associated zodiacal sign. If you are more interested in the Zodiac stones associated with astrology and the horoscope, visit our Zodiac Birthstones page. Let these precious gems give you inspiration and ideas for your hand-made birthday cards and gifts, or scrapbook pages.
(This modern list was formalized in 1912, with the only change being the addition of Tanzanite for December in 2002.) Return from Birthstones to Birthday Gifts page
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or
Bloodstone
or
Rock Crystal
or
Chrysoprase
,
Moonstone or Alexandrite
or Carnelion
or
Sardonyx
or
Lapis
,
Turquoise, Zircon, or Tanzanite
