The Significance of Stone
Stones have been part of human history for centuries, believed to bring luck, protection, and personalized energy to the wearer. Some precious gems are associated with each month of the year, with each stone holding specific meanings and qualities.
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Personalized Symbolism: Birthstones are associated with specific months of the year, making them deeply personal and meaningful symbols for individuals born in those months. They are often seen as representations of one's birth month, personality traits, or life events.
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Historical and Cultural Significance: The tradition of birthstones dates back thousands of years and is rooted in various cultural and religious beliefs. Many ancient civilizations believed that gemstones possessed magical or healing properties, and wearing a birthstone was thought to bring protection, prosperity, and good fortune.
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Spiritual and Metaphysical Beliefs: In many spiritual and metaphysical traditions, birthstones are believed to have mystical properties that align with certain qualities or energies. People may wear birthstones as talismans for protection, healing, or spiritual guidance.
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Celebratory Gifts: Birthstones are often given as gifts to commemorate birthdays, milestones, or significant life events. They serve as thoughtful and personalized gifts that convey love, affection, and well-wishes for the recipient.
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Fashion and Style: Beyond their symbolic meanings, birthstones are also valued for their beauty and aesthetic appeal. Many people enjoy wearing jewelry adorned with their birthstone as a fashion statement or accessory that reflects their personal style.
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Connection to Astrology: In some traditions, birthstones are associated with astrological signs and celestial influences. They are believed to resonate with the energy of the zodiac sign corresponding to one's birth month, offering insights into one's personality traits and life path.
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Family and Heritage: Birthstones can hold significance within families and cultural heritage, passed down through generations as heirlooms or cherished keepsakes. They serve as tangible connections to ancestors, traditions, and shared memories.
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Symbol of Identity and Individuality: Wearing a birthstone can be a way for individuals to express their identity and celebrate their uniqueness. It's a reminder of one's birth month and the qualities associated with it, serving as a source of inspiration and empowerment.
Personal Resonance Rocks
The psychological effects of gemstones are often intertwined with their perceived metaphysical properties and the individual's beliefs, experiences, and intentions. While scientific evidence may not fully support the specific claims of gemstone therapy, we shouldn't readily discount the power that belief can have on someone's physical and spiritual well-being. The metaphysical properties of each stone is based on various cultural and spiritual beliefs and may vary depending on individual interpretations and traditions. It's essential to approach the use of birthstones for metaphysical purposes with an open mind and respect for different belief systems.
It's also important to note that the effects of gemstones can vary from person to person, and individual experiences may differ. While some people may report significant benefits from working with gemstones, others may not experience the same effects. Additionally, subjective interpretation of experiences can also play a role in how individuals perceive the effects of a gemstone.
Birthstones by Month & Properties
January’s birthstone is garnet. Thought to be named after the pomegranate, this gemstone actually comes in many other colors than the delicious deep red that is favored for jewelry making. At 7th Stone, one of our local artists, they use the deepest red varietals for our creations; pyrope, malaya, or almadine. Garnet is associated with vitality, strength, and passion. It is believed to promote balance, stability, and positive energy. Garnet is also thought to enhance creativity, boost self-confidence, and stimulate the flow of energy throughout the body.
February’s birthstone is amethyst. Associated with royalty, this ancient gem was thought to have been created by Bacchus, the Greek god of intoxication, wine, and grapes in his pursuit of the lovely Amethyste, who refused his affections. While fundamentally a quartz, amethyst is prized for its rich purple hue and supposed ability to ward off evil. Amethyst is often associated with spirituality, intuition, and inner peace. It is believed to calm the mind, enhance meditation, and promote spiritual awareness. Amethyst is also thought to protect against negative energy, relieve stress, and promote clarity of thought.
For March birthdays, while bloodstone is also recognized, aquamarine is the gem commonly associated with this birth month. Aquamarine shares its mineral foundation, beryl, with emerald. It’s the chemical “impurities” in beryl that create these naturally occurring color differences in the gems. The calming blue of aquamarine, or “seawater”, results from traces of iron as the gem is formed. Aquamarine is associated with courage, clarity, and emotional balance. It is believed to promote communication, soothe stress, and calm the mind. Aquamarine is also thought to enhance intuition, inspire creativity, and promote feelings of serenity and tranquility.
Those lucky people born in April have the most iconic birthstone of all, the diamond. Despite its popularity and high price, diamond is actually one of the most common gems found on earth, due to its simple recipe of carbon, heat, and pressure. The varieties of colors, like most gems, come from the various “impurities” introduced during formation. In the case of yellow diamonds, for example, it is the degree of nitrogen present as a diamond is forming that causes the amount of yellow hue in the resulting stone. For the purpose of providing an economical option for a birthday gift and everyday wear, the diamond option 7th Stone sells is known as the Herkimer diamond. These gems are not true diamonds and belong more in the same family as amethyst, which is quartz. Make no mistake, Herkimer diamonds, while not diamonds can still be quite pricey as they are rare and prized for their brilliance and clarity, just as a diamond. Diamond is associated with purity, strength, and clarity. It is believed to enhance inner strength, courage, and resilience. Diamond is also thought to amplify positive energy, promote spiritual enlightenment, and symbolize eternal love and commitment.
The deep and mysterious emerald is the birthstone for May. One of our personal favorites as the foundational mineral, beryl, isn’t necessarily known for its clarity and you can expect to find many inclusions and fissures, yet it makes up for its diminished luster with brilliant color. The emerald’s color comes from the traces of chromium or vanadium present during formation. Despite its brittle nature, this gem has been held sacred longer than any other. The ancient Egyptians prized emeralds as a symbol of life and fertility and some of the most highly regarded jeweled relics of history are adorned with emeralds (Topkapi dagger, Crown of the Andes). You’ll also see this jewel used by some of the most iconic jewelers in their signature pieces (Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels). Emerald is associated with love, abundance, and harmony. It is believed to open the heart chakra, attract love and prosperity, and promote emotional balance. Emerald is also thought to enhance intuition, stimulate creativity, and promote healing and renewal.
One of the most unique birthstones is actually not a stone at all; the pearl. If you were born in July, this amazing organic gem of yours can only be created by an oyster. The pearl itself, like mother-of-pearl in shells, is made from nacre, which the oyster produces when bothered by something foreign irritating the oysters sensitive internal muscle. The creature surrounds itself with smooth iridescent nacre to keep its home comfortable, which surrounds any invading object, forming a pearl. While a moonstone and alexandrite, lovely gems in their own right, can also be an acceptable birthstone for July, we see the pearl and its variety of shapes and colors deserving of the honor. Pearls are associated with purity, innocence, and inner wisdom. They are believed to promote emotional healing, balance emotions, and enhance inner peace. Alexandrite, "the traveler's stone" due to its changing color, is associated with transformation, intuition, and spiritual growth. It is believed to align with the crown chakra and promote clarity of thought and self-awareness. Moonstones are purported to give the gift of insight to the wearer. As the name suggests, the connection to the moon, and thus, feminine energy is indicative of its power to positively affect women's health. Moreover, moonstone is associated with new beginnings and rebirth.
Those with July birthdays enjoy the most rare and exclusive ruby as their birthstone. Like sapphires, rubies are a variety of the mineral corundum, which almost equals the diamond in hardness. Unlike the sapphire, which comes in a variety of colors, the ruby is exclusively on the red end of the corundum spectrum, the most valuable known as “pigeon-blood red”. The rarity of large, gem grade rubies of high clarity and deep blood-red make high-grade natural rubies essentially priceless. Fortunately, there are plenty of affordable options that allow all of us to enjoy this classic beauty. Ruby is associated with passion, vitality, and courage. It is believed to stimulate the root chakra, increase energy levels, and promote vitality and strength. Ruby is also thought to enhance motivation, boost self-confidence, and attract prosperity and abundance.
The August birthstone, peridot, is misunderstood and unappreciated. Prior to 1900, sardonyx, carnelian, moonstone, or topaz were the optional designations for August birthdays and peridot was often mistaken for topaz or emerald until properly identified. This delicate green beauty now has its rightful place as the Leo’s lucky gem. It’s thought to bring prosperity to those born in August as the Edwardian rhymes warn “The August born without this stone, ‘tis said, must live unloved alone”. Peridot is associated with healing, protection, and abundance. It is believed to clear negative energy, promote emotional healing, and attract prosperity and abundance. Peridot is also thought to enhance intuition, increase self-esteem, and promote personal growth and transformation.
September boasts the ever popular and elegant sapphire as its birthstone. Most of us love this gem for its mesmerizing blue color, but sapphires can actually be found in just about every color imaginable…except red, of course, as that is reserved exclusively for the ruby. In fact, geologists didn’t realize that all of these varieties were actually the same mineral until the late 1800s. Sapphires are expected to keep the wearer safe from harm and provide clarity of mind. Sapphire is associated with wisdom, intuition, and spiritual enlightenment. It is believed to stimulate the third eye chakra, enhance intuition, and promote mental clarity and focus. Sapphire is also thought to promote inner peace, inspire creativity, and attract prosperity and abundance.
The iridescence, fire, of an opal is completely unmistakable. Mining of this stone in Australia began in the early 1900s and this is probably why the opal became the official birthstone for the month of October at that time. There are many varieties, named for their qualities; fire opal for its fiery red iridescence, boulder opal for its mix of ironstone, and the “common” opal with neither fire nor transparency. Tourmaline is another option for this birth month. A more recently accepted alternative, tourmaline was likely chosen for it's fall aesthetic. Opal is associated with creativity, inspiration, and emotional healing. It is believed to stimulate the sacral chakra, enhance creativity, and promote emotional balance and harmony. Tourmaline is associated with protection, grounding, and purification. It is believed to repel negative energy, promote physical and emotional healing, and enhance vitality and strength.
November, like February, has been deemed worthy of a variety of quartz, this time, the lovely amber glow of citrine. Confused with yellow topaz, citrine is a much softer, and topaz has been adopted by mainstream jewelers as the official birthstone of the month. This could be because citrine is more brittle stone and a naturally occurring citrine is a very rare find. Many citrines produced today are transformed by heating the other colors to achieve the perfect shade of golden yellow. Citrine is associated with abundance, prosperity, and success. It is believed to stimulate the solar plexus chakra, attract wealth and prosperity, and promote self-confidence and empowerment. Topaz is associated with healing, protection, and spiritual growth. It is believed to enhance intuition, promote emotional healing, and attract positive energy and abundance.
December is another month with several gems claiming to be its rightful birthstone. While many recognize turquoise, the newly appointed zircon and the mainstream fine jewelers are all selling blue topaz, we give the designation to the oldest and original appointee; lapis lazuli. This stone is unmatched in its opaque intense blue hue and glints of gold, as if it were plucked from the night sky. The gem is said to give its wearer psychic vision and the ancient Egyptians adorned both themselves and many ceremonial objects with this celestial stone. Turquoise is associated with protection, healing, and spiritual grounding. It is believed to align with the throat chakra, enhance communication, and promote emotional healing and inner peace. Tanzanite is associated with spiritual awakening, intuition, and transformation. It is believed to stimulate the third eye chakra, enhance intuition, and promote spiritual growth and enlightenment.
Overall, the importance of birthstones lies in their ability to carry personal, cultural, and spiritual significance, connecting individuals to their past, present, and future in meaningful ways. Whether worn as a symbol of protection, a token of love, or a fashion statement, birthstones hold enduring value and significance in many people's lives
