Birthstones and Their Meanings

General 3 Minutes

According to the The Almanac, the birthstones we associate with certain months now are not necessarily the same ones as those used centuries ago. Originally, they related to the 12 gemstones appearing on the breastplate of the High Priest of the Isrealites described in the Book of Exodus.

Color was once the most important feature of a stone, which meant that there was no significant difference in meaning between a ruby and a garnet, for example. And the names used in the past may not relate to the stone we think of with that name today either. For example, a sapphire was probably what we know today a lapis and diamonds were most likely white sapphires or white topaz. The wearing of birthstones is thought to bring good luck, good health, and protection and astrologers long ago attributed supernatural powers to certain gemstones.

JANUARY: GARNET

The garnet is thought to keep the wearer safe during travel. The word “garnet” is derived from a term that means “seed,” because the gem resembles the color and shape of a pomegranate seed.

FEBRUARY: AMETHYST

Amethysts are said to strengthen relationships and give their wearers courage. At one time, only royalty could wear the gem. Ancient Greeks thought that the amethyst guarded against intoxication. In fact, “amethyst” comes from amethystos, a Greek word meaning “sober.”

MARCH: AQUAMARINE

The aquamarine was thought to cure heart, liver, and stomach diseases—all one had to do was drink the water in which the gem had been soaking. Early sailors believed that aquamarine talismans, etched with the likeness of the sea god Neptune, protected them against ocean dangers.

APRIL: DIAMOND

The April birthstone, the diamond, in addition to being a symbol of everlasting love, was once thought to bring courage. In Sanskrit, the diamond is called vajra, which also means lightning; in Hindu mythology, vajra was the weapon of Indra, the king of gods.

MAY: EMERALD

The emerald, was one of Cleopatra’s favorite gems. It has long been associated with fertility, rebirth, and love. Ancient Romans went so far as to dedicate this stone to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Today, it is thought that emeralds signify wisdom, growth, and patience.

JUNE: PEARL

The June birthstone,the pearl, has long been a symbol of purity. The ancient Greeks believed that pearls were the hardened tears of joy from Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

JULY: RUBY

The ruby, was regarded by ancient Hindus as the “king of gems.” It was believed to protect its wearer from evil. Today, the ruby’s deep-red color signifies love and passion.

AUGUST: PERIDOT

The August birthstone, the peridot, symbolizes strength. It is sometimes called the “evening emerald” for its light green color. It was once believed that the green peridot crystals found in volcanic ashes were the tears of the volcano goddess, Pele. When set in gold, this gem was said to protect the wearer from nightmares.

SEPTEMBER: SAPPHIRE

The sapphire was once thought to guard against evil and poisoning. It was believed that a venomous snake would die if placed in a vessel made of sapphire. Traditionally a favorite stone of priests and kings, the sapphire symbolizes purity and wisdom.

OCTOBER: OPAL

The October birthstone, the opal, symbolizes faithfulness and confidence. The word comes from the Latin opalus, meaning “precious jewel.” Necklaces with opals set in them were worn to repel evil and to protect eyesight.

NOVEMBER: TOPAZ

The November birthstone, topaz, symbolizes love and affection. It is believed to give the wearer increased strength and intellect.

DECEMBER: TURQUOISE

The December birthstone, turquoise, is regarded as a love charm. It is also a symbol of good fortune and success, and it is believed to relax the mind and to protect its wearer from harm. Turquoise rings, in particular, are thought to keep away evil spirits.

Source: almanac.com

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Published by pat frederick

Published

187 thoughts on “Birthstones and Their Meanings”

  1. Morning All!
    here’s my ground report from last evening’s shopping trip. gas has dropped to $4.65. for the first time in almost a year and a half, they had rolls of toll house cookie dough. (I always kept one in the freezer…) but these are much smaller and of course more expensive. i managed to get some margarine (I have a “master list” of what i need for Christmas cookies and the things I can buy and put in the freezer ahead of time, I do–it’s easier on the wallet.) But sugar was really depleted.
    other than that, everything seemed well stocked and prices inched higher again
    I did see a young couple wearing masks.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Good morning! Gas here is down to $4.39 at the moment and I expect it is even lower in Meadow Grove. I think the jet stream has finally moved – it was 73 when I got up 2 hours ago and is down to 70 now.

      Interesting open – I didn’t know that about the High Priest in Exodus. Of course, attributing human characteristics to stones is silly but I’ll go with it for the moment…..in that case, YEAH! I’M ROYALTY!!!! ROFL

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            1. Really? Huh….I never thought about that – one would think it would be red or orange – bright colors like the flowers where they get their nectar. Interesting that they react to purple….

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              1. red and purple and yellow seem to attract them most here.
                hubby bought me a gorgeous purple glass feeder for the hummers. you fill it from the top. but for some reason, the nectar bubbles out of the flowers and leaks all over the deck when i try to use it.
                we tried filling it only partially, we tried changing the rubber seal on the lid, still leaks and makes a mess. but i put it (empty) on the windowsill inside and every year they fly right to it…

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              2. Sounds to me like the holes are too big in the feeder. Then again, that was exactly what happened with the grape/water combo in my hummer feeder so I could be wrong. I expect almost any bright, jewel-like color would attract them – that’s what attracts them to certain flowers.

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    2. As always, I’m gonna be honest….I get kind of sick and tired of this crap about it’s our fault because we choose to have a TV. Balderdash! The problem arises when WE make the mistake of believing everything we see on that TV without question. The problem arises with the programs we CHOOSE to watch….the TV is an inanimate object – stop blaming it and stop allowing it to control you. And yes, I know the intent was to brainwash the people – doesn’t matter! It is what WE choose to do with it that matters! OK – rant over!

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      1. you are a very aware person…most are not…
        that being said, I’ll be hiding behind the sofa…let me know when you’ve had your second cup of coffee…
        LOL

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        1. ….sigh….yeah, I woke up in a really foul mood but I held off posting until I thought I could at least be civil. And I didn’t even cuss!!! LOL – then again, when am I NOT fired up!?!

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            1. Oh, yeah, I’m good…..sigh….just so tired of the BS, that’s all. That and trying to truly understand why so many people think I’m a bitch…..I’m friendly – I strike up convos with strangers all the time, ala my experience at the grocery store on Tuesday…..I just don’t get it. Just because I’m strong willed, outspoken, honest to a fault, and am not afraid to state my opinion? SMDH

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    1. Haven’t read the story but weren’t there witnesses? Also, IIRC, I think it was caught on video…..but I could be wrong on that. OK – found a video of the CCTV footage – put out by the police trying to identify suspects….at the :15 mark, one of them who was inside the shop stops and turns back, pointing a gun, presumably at Dorn…..not sure if that was this guy or not….and, again, I have to be honest….I really don’t care if he was the one who pulled the trigger – I can guarantee you he caused enough damage in many other ways such that he deserves to be found guilty.

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        1. apparently no one left fingerprints…amazing, huh? and the gun was never located…and the main person testifying for the prosecution lied in testimony to the police…
          not sure what to believe at this point…

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  19. Good Morning …

    Beautiful Open Pat … love all the birthstones

    Happy Summer Solstice to all ! Ours will be a rainy one …

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    1. Morning, PR! We are finally getting a small break from the high heat – cold front came thru sometime between 4:30 and 6:00. That’s a relief – maybe I can go without covering the cukes for a day or so at least. Did you see the cute little butterflies I scattered in front of my porch and in my flower pots? Cheap, cheap, cheap but pretty and very colorful. They cheer me up when I look at them.

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    2. Morning phoenix!!
      my mother in law wore a tiny ring on a chain around her neck…it was her baby ring! i have it still…tiny sapphires and diamonds–but soooo tiny!

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      1. aww,,, lovely I’m sure, and so happy you still have…

        You are wearing my birthstone … how nice you remember! Good Morning …

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  20. So happy you are having cooler weather!

    Yes, I saw the butterflies lat yesterday… can’t see them too often! where did you find them? I actually get quite a few in my garden… they like the Lantana I planted…

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    1. I was on-line at WM purchasing a new mattress cover; since I’ve been wanting to get some lawn ornaments for a while now, I decided to scan what they had available that wasn’t too expensive. Most of those things are only 10″ high and they want to charge $50-60 – ridiculous! But I was scanning low price to high and ran across these – 50 for less than $10! Can’t beat that price – even if they only last a few months, it will have been worth it. Funny – I was talking to my Sis yesterday and one of her friends had bought the same butterflies recently.

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  24. From RT via Pepe Escobar

    https://t.me/rocknrollgeopolitics/4163

    ⚡️Greece becomes third European country after Spain and Portugal to not agree with European Commission’s proposal for 15% reduction in use of natural gas

    So, after Draghi gone and now Greece/Spain/Portugal refusing to go along with EU, maybe one can be allowed to hope the EU will be no more soon?

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      1. It’s only my belief, but Russia’s SMO soon to become ‘more’ is dropping, will continue to drop the veils of European countries that NATO will not protect them

        Hungary minister is in Moscow now meeting w/ Lavrov and others

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  25. more on the colbert9 story…they lied about having press credentials and since they were previously escorted FROM the building, they KNEW it was unlawful to be there
    FTA
    The United States Capitol Police revealed new details on Tuesday alleging Stephen Colbert’s staffers repeatedly disobeyed instructions from Capitol police officers prior to their arrest.

    The news came one day after the U.S. Attorney’s office declined to charge the staffers, whom the Capitol police referred to as the “Colbert Nine.”
    What are the details?

    Capitol police Chief J. Thomas Manger explained in a letter the production crew was arrested in the Longworth House Office Building after a staffer for Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) secured his office and called the USCP emergency phone number to report a disturbance outside the office next to Bowman’s.

    That office belonged to Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.).

    “Do you remember me? Do you remember me?” a man with the production crew reportedly shouted outside Boebert’s door. “It’s me. We’re going to leave something under your door.”

    A member of the production crew told responding officers they were credentialed press. However, none of the production crew had congressional press identification, neither were they accompanied by a congressional staff member, Manger explained. The group needed both to be in the building.

    Even worse, the group had already been escorted out of different building, the Cannon House Office Building, earlier in the day when a Capitol police officer stopped the group for not having press credentials or a staff escort.

    When officers confronted the production crew, group leader Jake Plunkett told officers they were in the building to film comedy skits for Colbert’s show. They had planned to film outside the offices House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-Ga). The crew admitted they were “pretending to leave notes” under the office doors, but did not actually leave any.

    “The note was allegedly an invitation to a cocaine orgy,” Manger wrote.

    Prior to the incident, the production crew applied for press credentials, but were denied. Plunkett, according to Manger, declined to appeal the decision because “he knew [the production crew] would not qualify qualify as press.”
    What about the DOJ’s decision?

    Manger condemned the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia for not criminally charging the production crew despite the ample evidence showing they broke the law.

    “It is unfortunate that despite all of the evidence the Department presented, including that the group or its leader had been told several times that they could not be in the buildings without an escort, that the U.S. Attorney’s office declined to prosecute any members of the group for Unlawful Entry,” Manger said.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia released a statement on Monday claiming prosecutors were not moving forward with the case because the evidence was not enough to secure convictions.

    Manger’s letter, however, calls into question that decision because the evidence shows the production crew knew they were not supposed to be inside the office building and even allegedly lied about being credentialed press.

    TheBlaze has reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia seeking a response to Manger’s letter.

    https://www.theblaze.com/news/capitol-police-letter-stephen-colbert-staffers-arrest

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    1. realistically this would be a win win for the dems…ultra maggot succumbs to this illness–(whether or not they help it along?) so he’s gone–as are the low favorability ratings…AND they can re-amp up cv lockdowns before the midterms…

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      1. Right… and it would create an illusion …

        that new peron = fresh agenda, cleanup of mess

        while in fact it would be same ol’ same ol’ and MORE!

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          1. I just can’t accept they will change him out… it will cause a huge outcry from citizens. It would mean resignation. Nixon is the only one to have done that (Poppy Bush pushed him out actually) I don’t believe they will go with amendment 25 …

            I just can’t accept they will do it… repeating myself I am 😉

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            1. maybe you’re right…
              but IF they do elbow him out and get rid of him permanently…they can claim HE was responsible for all the bad judgements and decisions…then they can pull back a bit (for the midterms) before they regroup and attack agin.

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              1. It’s difficult for me to see what others see right now… as I don’t believe there will be elections in November. I think US/NATO will cross Putin’s “red line” … and we will reap the consequences, which will create a scenario I can’t even conjure up…

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              2. it’s hard to know what’s true or not anymore, but it seems like putin is not willy nilly bombing civilians…he seem directed at a country’s ability to wage war.
                i don’t see the same end you do…but i do recognize that it is beyond my control. I will not go into that great good night fearing death. I anticipate a reunion with my Father. (and i promise that’s all the Bible thumping I will do about this.)

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              3. I wasn’t clear … Russia will not go nuclear… they can target a specific location with a conventional missile (that they have yet to use in Ukraine) that neither US or NATO (same thing as US really) have the ability to shoot down. The so-called West does not believe Russia will use… but Russia could take out US bases across the globe and here in US. The ‘cold war 2.0’ could easily turn into ‘hot’ war (conventional, not nuclear)

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              4. i do understand your concerns, but my point is, there is nothing we can do about it, short of revoluton here to remove the current powers that be.

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              5. Depends on the “we” … I may be a fool… I believe Putin is doing it… once the Europeans say NO Nato and the EU fall apart … The Cabal controls The West … the downfall of the West begins the down fall of the Cabal. The question is, which way will the US go? I believe Americans will rise to the cause. US as ‘super power’ is over … the East, Asia is already creating a multipolar world. We will suffer economically and perhaps militarily, who knows. Sorry… I will shut up now 😉

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              6. no, please don’t.
                we welcome all points of view here…because people see things differently–and maybe can explain things I don’t see yet!
                don’t be offended if i disagree or debate–that’s how i learn and evolve my opinions.

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              7. I understand what you have written … I pick up too much of others’ emotions and I felt I was bringing negative images that were making you think of death.

                We can’t really see ourselves as others do… when I was much younger someone whom I respected, was somewhat intimidated by ( a ph.d!)… told me that I was much too serious

                I feel I go off the rails sometimes 😉

                https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/child-room-books-sits-foreground-looks-large-open-book-127272972.jpg.

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  34. just got off the phone with my mom…LOL
    I love her dearly, but her calling me never works out…(sorry to repeat, but with wifi calling, what i say has to go thru the router and then to her–so there’s a slight delay. similar to a walkie talkie which she can’t seem to grasp)
    it’s like 2 old ladies who are both practically deaf…oh my…
    i will have to call her over the weekend if we head out to the post office…

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      1. nope. none…NONE of the phone companies national or local have coverage over our section…in every map, we’re in the dot that has no coverage. it’s the mountains.
        it’s better than when we moved here 16 yrs ago…
        and as soon as we clear the mountains and get on the road in town, phones work perfect.
        you pay for seclusion

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  35. this is interesting…copied from tcth

    TwoLaine-President, Legal President #45 Fan Club
    July 21, 2022 11:49 am

    Just In: Bannon’s team is not putting up a defense in his political persecution trial. I other words, they chose to say it is all bogus, and they will win on appeal.

    Interesting tactic. Since nothing is being presented, everything is NEW at the next trial.

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    1. I must have inaccurate info…

      maybe from Poso’s tweeter acc;t? I read the Committee is not allowing him to present a defense…

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  37. “When slowed down and filmed in UV light, Brad finally found out what that shadow was he kept catching out of the corner of his eye…”

    “Straight from the ghetto WalMart!”

    “A different interpretation of “catwalk!”

    “Don’t worry – the sign adds 20 lbs….”

    “Seems to heat unevenly….”

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  40. i’m not saying i agree with this opinion…but these people are leeches…they never go away!!!

    Jim H
    July 21, 2022 12:41 pm

    Right on cue -with “Joe Biden” writhing on his sick bed – Michelle Obama hits print with a new book, The LIght We Carry.

    https://archive.ph/BdUdl

    Not only will this sweet deal net the acquisitive Obamas a fresh $20 or $30 million from their friends in the publishing industry, but also its timing is perfect to kick off her 2024 campaign with “Joe” fading from the scene like a white-haired ghost.

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              1. we hd the same bullshit economy under obummer…if she ran in 2020 when the economy was humming she might have had a bettr chance–i don’t see it.

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              3. remember how she destroyed the lunch programs? that’s a ripe subject to compare her to the let them eat bugs crowd…LOL
                and no body wants that

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              2. IDK what you’re talking about except possibly a joke from waaaaay back at M’s about not wearing panties. Your memory is clearly much better than mine! LOL

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              3. ROFLMAO!
                Filly…in your comment above about moochele running, you said…”If you remember waaaaaay back when…”
                and i thought that was funny because i can’t remember day to day stuff–like wearing pants every day…

                and now it’s just making me laugh that you think there’s somethign more to this…LOL

                i guess the proper phrase right now is …never mind.

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  41. phony “wins” for the dems…wonder what ELSE might be hidden in those bills

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