Happy Birthday to all August Babies!

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!