Birth Stones
By Gina Ritter

As a new parent, or an old pro, there’s something wonderful about the allure of a birthstone. What does it mean? What can we find with our birthstone on it? Even children love to learn about their birthstones and receive special gifts.

January Birth Stone: Garnet
Garnet, usually noted as the color red, is actually the gem of nature with its colors ranging from deep red to orange, yellow, and green. Only blue is not found in garnet. Garnet is believed to be able to illuminate the night and protect the wearer from wounds, ill health and evil.

February Birth Stone: Amethyst
The word amethyst comes from the greek, meaning "not drunken” and gem is purported to have originated when the god Dionysus took out his anger on mortals. Read a Balter Baby article on Amethyst.

March Birth Stone: Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a beautiful light blue-green stone whose name is derived from the Latin, "beryllus aquamarinus", meaning resembling seawater or "aqua” meaning water, and "mare” or sea. Since it’s the color of the sky, it’s presumed heavenly or eternal and it’s also the color of water with its life-giving properties, which also carried legend that aquamarine was originally found in a mermaids treasure making it a sailor’s talisman. Its light blue symbolizes sympathy, trust, harmony or friendship in a relationship and is supposed to be the ideal gemstone for lovers or couples to give them happiness and riches.

April Birth Stone: Diamond
While you may think of a diamond as being colorless or yellow, they really come in a rainbow of colors. Although they tend to be pale, they come in oranges, greens, pinks and blues, pale to bright yellows, and several shades of brown now being coined names like cognac and champagne. “Diamond” is from the Greek "adamas,” meaning unbreakable or unconquerable. They were believed to render poison harmless and to drive away insanity and bad dreams.

May Birth Stone: Emerald
The name Emerald was derived from French "esmeraude” which was formed from a Latin root word meaning "green gemstone.” Like the garnet, the Emerald is an Earth color, also linked to the Earth goddess and fertility. “Emerald green” gained it’s named from this amazingly deep and beautiful green color. In lore it was sacred to the Goddess, Venus, and interestingly it’s been worn to ease the pain of childbirth! Emeralds promise good luck, well-being and healing.

June Birth Stone: Pearl
Pearls are an organic gem, formed by an irritation in a sea oyster or freshwater mussels. Long ago, pearls were important financial assets, comparable in price to real estate, as thousands of oysters had to be searched for only one pearl. They were rare because they were created only by chance. Now setting a sea shell piece in the oyster and returning them back to the water until they’ve had a sufficient amount of time to make the pearl cultures them by man. The Goddess Venus used pearls as a symbol of innocence.

July Birth Stone: Ruby
When flawless, an extremely rare ruby is more valuable than a diamond; a true emperor of the gemstones. Historically, the ruby is associated with royalty, love and vividness, passion, and power. It was attributed to the power over life and death, strengthening the heart, diluting poisons, and prevention of blood loss. Red emanates warmth and a strong sense of life.

August Birth Stone: Peridot
The Peridot is a light green color perfect for summer and said to rid night terrors and bad thoughts with some healing powers for the liver. The Egyptians used peridot and the ancient Romans coveted the brilliant green sparkle, naming it “Evening Emerald”. Peridot is found in European Midieval churches.

September Birth Stone: Sapphire
In ancient times the sky was believed to be “a gigantic blue sapphire stone into which the earth is embedded.” Buddhists believe the Sapphire brings purity & spiritual enlightenment. The Sapphire is found in all the colors of the sky as well as greyish misty blue and all of the colors of the sunset like yellow, pink, orange and purple; except for red. In fact, a red sapphire is actually a ruby. Interestingly, a large percentage of the population favors the color blue and it’s connected to sympathy and harmony, friendship and loyalty. Sapphire blue is related to reliability, loyalty, faithfulness, love and yearning and is, like aquamarine, a gem for couples and lovers. Sapphires are also connected to identifying liars, protection from black magic, visions and the ability to read the future.

October Birth Stone: Opal & Tourmaline
In ancient Egyptian legend the “Rainbow Gemstone,” Tourmaline got its amazing colors from heat while traveling to the sun on a rainbow. No two are alike and it is thought to possess magical powers; especially in love, stability, and friendship.

Opals carry a mystical healing power according to the ancients, and can solve depression and help find true love. When the zodiac sign bearer carries an opal, his or her personality and positive characteristics are amplified. Opal reflects changing emotions and moods of people and our moods will choose the color of opal we prefer that day. In the time of the ancient Australian aborigines, it is reported that the creator came down to Earth on a rainbow, to spread peace and where his foot touched the ground opals were formed in rainbow colors. The Roman senator Nonius chose exile rather than surrendering an Opal to Mark Antony.

November Birth Stone: Topaz
Topaz is used for clear sight and to break the chains of magical enchantment, protect the faithful against harm and increase strength. It’s said to change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink, to be colored with the golden glow of the mighty Egyptian sun god Ra, and rubbing or gentle heating of Topaz electrifies it, causing it to attract small particles like bits of paper or hair. The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also is the god of the sun. It was said to cure insomnia, asthma, and hemorrhages. The word Topaz comes from the Sanskrit "tapas"- meaning 'to glow'. Topaz is sometimes colored amber gold, peach, warm browns and oranges, blues and rarely pinks. Citrine is an alternative to topaz.

December Birth Stone: Blue Zircon
In the middle ages, zircon was said to aid sleep, bring prosperity, and promote honor and wisdom in its owner. The name probably comes from the Persian word zargun, which means "gold-colored," although zircon comes in pastel blue, bright blue, green, and dark red, yellow, brown, and orange. Zircon is also said to rid the user of bad dreams and spirits, grief, melancholy, and sleeplessness. Zircon is often confused with the man-made diamond, cubic zirconia.

Gina Ritter is the owner of Natural Family Online, co-owner of the Balter Catalogue Company, a mom to three precious boys, and an artist. You may reprint this article by contacting her at gina [at] taylexson.org.