The History of Birthstones

 

Blogger: Amber Schamel

 

Replica of the priestly breastplate.
Dr. Avishai  Teicher Pikiwiki Israel, CC BY 2.5

Well, we are back at May again, which means that we have studied the birthstones of all twelve months. So today, I'd like to share with you how the tradition of birthstones began. 

The tradition of gemstones associated with months of the year and constellations in the Zodiac are so old, that no one knows for sure what the origination of them are. In eastern cultures, such as Hinduism, there were gemstones associated with celestial bodies. At birth, an astronomical chart was calculated and certain stones were recommended for the child to possess or wear in order to bring good luck and prevent problems. 

Many believe that birthstones actually originate from Judaism and Christianity. When Moses brought the Hebrews out of Egypt and established the priesthood, there was a breastplate that was created for Aaron as the High Priest. This breastplate contained twelve stones, one to represent each tribe of Israel. The historian Josephus believed there was a link between these twelve stones, the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the months of the year. 

Josephus
Public Domain

"And for the twelve stones, whether we understand by them the months, or the twelve signs of what the Greeks call the zodiac, we shall not be mistaken in their meaning.” ~Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus

Saint Jerome later expounded upon Josephus' theories, and people began to associate gems with months of the year, and attribute qualities to each as well. However, it was not until a few centuries ago that people began to wear only the gemstone of their birth month. Some historians believe the practice originated in Poland in the 18th century, while others attribute it to Germany in the 1500's.

Saint Jerome by Domenico Ghirlandaio
Public Domain

Either way, the wearing of one's birthstone became increasingly popular. The list that we have today was compiled officially for the first time in 1912. The Jewelers of America association, then known as the National Association of Jewelers, met in Kansas and officially adopted a standard list to make it easier to market the gems. It has since been revised a few times, but it remains mostly the same as the 1912 list.

While it can be fun and interesting to know your birthstone, and the qualities it represents, all of these stones are beautiful, valuable, and a credit to the wearer. 

 

Below is a complete list of the birthstones by month.

January: Garnet

February: Amethyst

March: Aquamarine, bloodstone

April: Diamond

May: Emerald

June: Pearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite

July: Ruby

August: Peridot, Spinel

September: Sapphire

October: Opal, Tourmaline

November: Topaz, Citrine

December: Tanzanite, Turquoise, Zircon 

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  

She lives in Colorado Springs near her favorite mountain, in a small “castle” with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a new mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

History of the Diamond: April's Birthstone

 

Blogger: Amber Schamel

 

Diamonds - April's Birthstone
Mario Sarto, CC BY-SA 3.0

Welcome to the beautiful Spring month of April. A time for flowers, rain showers, and new life. For those of you lucky enough to be born in April, your birthstone is the diamond, which gives your significant other TWO good reasons to buy one for you. ;)

The diamond gets its name from the Greek word 'adamas' which means "unconquerable." A rather fitting name considering that the diamond is one of the most durable substances known to man. The diamond has become a symbol of eternal love and is the most common stone found on engagement rings...but let's not get ahead of ourselves. 

The earliest diamonds were found in the 4th century B.C in India and were traded along the Silk Road. Because the diamond possesses both strength and brilliance, they have been used since the very beginning both as tools and as adornments. It's uncertain which use made them more valuable. 

Initially, it was believed that the Indian mines were the only source of diamonds, but when those sources began to become depleted in the 18th century, the search for new sources began. In 1725, a small deposit was discovered in Brazil, however it wasn't near enough to keep up with demand. During this time, the value of the diamond was amazingly high. If you think the diamonds are valuable today, consider that the value was more than twice this much a few hundred years ago.

Kimberly Mine Shaft
Public Domain

In the late 1800's, a few discoveries of diamonds in South Africa caused a surge of diamond hunters, and a colossal deposit was discovered, which is now known as the Kimberly mine.  Because of the increase in supply, the demand decreased as the stone was seen as more "common". Between 1871 when the Kimberly Mine was opened, and 1912, the value of the diamond dropped 50%. In 1880, Cecil John Rhodes, an Englishman, consolidated the diamond mines in an effort to control the supply and DeBeers Consolidated Mines, LLC came into existence. While he succeeded in controlling the supply, demand for diamonds was still weak. This is where engagement rings come back into play. 

While the history behind engagement rings could be a post in and of itself, we're focusing on when diamonds became a player. The first known diamond engagement ring was presented in 1477 when Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed to Mary of Burgundy. However diamonds were reserved for royalty or the elite, so diamonds as an engagement ring was not widespread.

 

Mary of Burgundy
First known recipient of diamond
engagement ring.
Public domain

Cecil Rhodes
Founder of DeBeers Consolidated Mines
Public Domain

In 1947 the Debeers, LLC proposed a huge advertising campaign branding the gem with "Diamonds are Forever". This campaign is what sparked the widespread use of diamonds as engagement rings. Today, 78% of engagement rings sold are made of diamonds, and it was this campaign that has saved the diamond industry. The value of diamonds has climbed significantly since the 40's, but it still is not at the level it was in ancient times. Nevertheless, it is considered one of the most valuable gems on earth.

 Happy birthday to all you April diamond babies! :D 

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  

She lives in Colorado Springs near her favorite mountain, in a small “castle” with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a new mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

 

History of the Aquamarine: March's birthstone

Blogger: Amber Schamel

Aquamarine
Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0

March is associated with the coming of Spring, so it is very appropriate that their birthstone would be the shade of blue skies and clear water. Although, aquamarine can vary in shades from light blue, to dark blue, to a green-blue. This is one of my personal favorites, because it is the birthstone of my husband, and the gem he gave me for our anniversary.

This gem is a blue form of the beryl stone, whereas emeralds are green hues of the beryl, so they are essentially the same stone, in different colors.


Aquamarine is a name derived from two Latin words meaning "water" and "of the sea". It was named such for its color that reminds us of the peaceful waters of a clear beach, but probably also because of the beliefs associated with the gem.

This stone has been admired for thousands of years. The Ancient Egyptians buried their kings with beads of aquamarine. The Hebrews used the stone in the garments of the High Priest and in their temple. Ancient Romans believed the stone had the power to grant protection to fishermen and luck in their catch. Roman bridegrooms would gift the stone to their betrothed, believing that it had the ability to absorb the atmosphere of young love.

During the middle ages, this belief was expanded to include rekindling love in a marriage. Also during this era, aquamarine was believed to hold mystic powers. Many famous mystics used the gem for their crystal balls in which to divine the future, including Dr. John Dee who cast the horoscope for Queen Elizabeth I's coronation. It was also believed that aquamarine could be an antidote for poison.

For centuries, aquamarine has been a favorite of sailors, and the legends and tales surrounding the gem are vast. One of the many tales is that mermaids keep this gem in treasure chests beneath the sea and give them out to their favorite sailors to protect them against storms and other dangers of sea life.

The Dom Pedro aquamarine. Photo by Karen Neoh.
Licensed under CC By 2.0.

There are many famous pieces of aquamarine. One of the most well known is a massive fourteen-inch tall obelisk named the Dom Pedro. The stone was found by prospectors in Brazil during the 1980's, and the original piece was over three feet long, and weighed over 100 pounds. The prospectors dropped it, breaking it into three pieces. The two smaller chunks were sold and made into smaller pieces of unknown jewelry, however the largest of the three became infamous and was named after the first emperor of Brazil. The sculpture was crafted by a German artist, Bernd Munsteiner, to reflect the depths of the sea and is truly a stunning piece of art. It is currently the world's largest cut aquamarine and is housed at the National Museum of Natural History. 

The Roosevelt Aquamarine
Public Domain from the US National Archives.

Another famous piece is the Roosevelt Aquamarine. In 1936, the Brazilian President gifted a whopping 1,298-ct aquamarine to the first lady, Eleanore Roosevelt. At the time, it was the largest cut aquamarine, however it fell to second place after the discovery of the Dom Pedro mentioned above. It was never mounted into jewelry, but now belongs to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.

This beautiful gem is coveted for its tranquil and calming color and is a lovely tribute to all the people lucky enough to be born in March.

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".

She lives in Colorado Springs near her favorite mountain, in a small “castle” with her prince charming. Between enjoying life as a new mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!