The History of Birthstones

I wear my bracelets everyday showcasing the birthstones of my children, and it started me thinking about how birthstones came about.

Perhaps the earliest mention of birthstones is in the book of Exodus which describes the Breastplate of Aaron, the High Priest of Hebrews. The breastplate was set with twelve gemstones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, including emerald, diamond, sapphire, topaz, amethyst, onyx and jasper. All these stones feature in the modern ideas of birthstones.

In the 1^st Century, Flavius Josephus made the connection between the stones featured in the Breastplate of Aaron and the twelve signs of the zodiac. Four hundred years later, St Jerome furthered that connection with the addition of the twelve calendar months. The theory was that the gemstones had mystical powers and would bestow luck, fortune and health on the wearer. It was thought that wearing the gemstone during its associated month helped to enhance its abilities, the idea being that you should own all 12 and wear each one depending on the time of year. This logic continued until the 18^th century when the modern perception of birthstones became truly accepted.