My grandmother has a birthday this month and I was really hoping to
find her something special, but I was stumped and had no idea where to start. A
friend of mine gave me the idea of purchasing something that included her
birthstone. I loved the idea and began to shop around.
I have always been curious as to how the idea of birthstones came
about. A certain gemstone is assigned to each month of the year and is
connected to one of the 12 signs of the zodiac. Some months even have two
stones assigned to them; August happens to be one of those months.
When searching online for her gift, I decided I would research the
history of birthstones. The background behind the idea was very interesting to
me. There is an ancient story behind birthstones that goes back to the book of
Exodus in the Bible. The story begins with the Breastplate of Aaron also known
as the Breastplate of Judgment. The Breastplate was a jeweled piece the Jewish
high priest would wear over his garment that lay on his chest. It was
known as a religious symbol that represented the 12 tribes of Israel. There was
a strong belief that the stones on the Breastplate held the ability to obtain
responses from heaven in the Jewish church.
Exodus
28: 15-21. “You shall make the breastplate of judgment. Artistically woven
according to the workmanship of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, blue,
purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, you shall make it. It shall
be doubled into a square: a span shall be its length, and a span shall be its
width. And you shall put settings of stones in it, four rows of stones: The
first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; this shall be the first
row; the second row shall be a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third
row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row, a beryl, an
onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold settings. And the stones shall
have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the
engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to
the twelve tribes.”
The question is, how did we get from gemstones representing the 12
tribes of Israel to a stone being assigned to every month of the year?
Back in the first and fifth century AD, a connection between the
stones in the Breastplate and the zodiac signs was found in the writings of
Flavius Josephus and St. Jerome. Each of the gemstones had special powers that
corresponded to the astrological sign. What I found to be very fascinating was
in their writings they believed wearing the stones would have therapeutic or
talismanic benefits.
Nowadays, people like to own or wear their birthstones because it
symbolizes the month they were born and it could hold a special or personal
meaning to them. Some months were assigned two birthstones as an attempt
to standardize the birthstone system and to provide an option for a more
affordable and readily available gemstone that could be purchased by the
average person.
The two stones that correspond to the month of August are the
Peridot and Sardonyx.
Peridots come in several color variations ranging from a yellowish-green to brown. However, they are most commonly found in a lime or olive-green
color and are often used in necklaces and bracelets. The intensity of the color
all depends on the amount of iron in the chemical structure; the higher
percentage of iron, the darker the green. I like how Peridot keeps its shine
through both sunlight and during the evening with artificial lighting. This is
why it is known as the “Evening Emerald.” Peridot’s are formed deep in
the earth’s mantle and are brought to the surface by volcanic activity. This
gemstone is known for its healing power to provide protection against
nightmares and bring power upon the person wearing it. In addition, it is known
to bring a wonderful year.
The second gemstone that represents birth in the month of August is
called Sardonyx. “Sard” is a Greek word meaning “reddish-brown,” and onyx means,
“veined gem.” The color in Sardonyx can vary between shades of yellow or
reddish-brown. This stones appearance is luxurious but inexpensive, which makes
it a popular choice in jewelry. It is often cut into a bead and worn with
pearls. Although it is popular in jewelry, Sardonyx is used for many other
things such as seal rings, pins, pendants, brooches, and largely carved designs
in a stone. It was first found in Sardis, the capital of ancient Lydia, which
is now the western part of Turkey. It is known as the "Gem of Courage," or the "Gem
of virtue." This stone is most valued in Greece and is said to heal and provide
magical powers. For example, it protects against danger, eliminates negative
thoughts, builds courage, peace, and luck, and strengthens the heart, kidneys,
nerves, blood vessels, hair, and nails.
For those of you that take interest in your birthstone,
PoliceAuctions.com is a great website that is sure to have yours! They have a
wide variety of beautiful jewelry pieces up for auction every day. I was
browsing online for a birthday present for my grandmother and was able to win a
stunning necklace with Peridot stones on the site. The necklace arrived and was
beautiful! Exactly like it was described on the website. I’m grateful to have
come across PoliceAuctions.com because shopping online for high quality jewelry can be
nerve-racking but the friendly Customer Service representatives helped make the
purchase process go smoothly. I received the item quickly and it is wrapped,
ready to go! I know she is going to absolutely love it!
