Everyone knows what their birthstone is and many wear them, but have you ever wondered why? The history of birthstones is tied to the history of astrology fairly tightly. In ancient times, gemstones were believed to have magical powers and assumed that they came from the heavens.
Each zodiac sign carries a set of traits or characteristics that people born under those signs are believe to possess. These traits are believed to be dominated by the position of the sun, moon, and ruling planets at the time of their birth. Early astrologers linked gemstones with the ruling planets and their positions based on color system thought to unleash the forces that were identified with the various zodiac signs.
It is believed that the tradition of birthstones actually came about from Breastplate of Aaron, which was a ceremonial and religious garment that contained twelve gemstones. These gemstones represented the twelve tribes of Israel, but also corresponded with the twelve signs of the zodiac and the twelve months of the year.
Because it was interpreted in different ways, many different birthstone lists came about. The one that we traditionally use today is the modern birthstone list, adopted in 1912 by the American National Association of Jewelers, but others still exist. Generally birthstones are based on the month that you were born, but some cultures instead follow the zodiac chart for birthstones.
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Kathy NYC
Posted at 5:12pm on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
Birthstone jewelry makes such a great gift! I think it really shows that you've put thought into it and making it really personal. A great place to find birthstone jewelry ideas is the Jewelry Information Center website, which is where I've found myself on numerous occasions getting info on cleaning jewelry and ideas on gifts to get both myself and others. It's a good go-to for me because JIC is trustworthy and reliable - they've been in the industry for something like over 60 years now, which this day in age, where new companies pop up faster than you can count, means a lot. They're also a non-profit, so you can assume that the info on there is FOR the consumer to ensure that you're getting accurate and reputable info. They have great shopping tips, jewelry history, and great tips on how to clean and care for your jewelry. I'd recommend them to get the info you need, and maybe get some inspiration on what to get yourself one of these days!
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