Friday 28 November 2014

Traditional Birthstones

Historical and Modern Listing of Birthstones

While there are many historical lists of birthstones, the following table provides the two most common list. The center column give the historical list based on the Bible. The second is the more familiar, and currently used list. It was formalized in 1952. by the US Jewelry 

Industry Council. It is not based on thenatural cycle of life on this planet, It is somewhat based on tradition, but only loosely.In 1912, in an effort to standardize birthstones, the 

(American) National Association of Jewelers met in Kansas and officially adopted a list.[2] The Jewelry Industry Council of America updated the list in 1952 by adding alexandrite to 

June and citrine to November; specifying pink tourmaline for October; replacing December's lapis with zircon; and switching the primary/alternate gems in March. The most recent 

change occurred in October 2002, with the addition of tanzanite as a December birthstone.Britain's National Association of Goldsmiths created their own standardized list of birthstones in 1937.[5]

Month

Historical

Current

JANUARYJacinth
Garnet
FEBRUARYAmethyst
Amethyst
MARCHJasper
Aquamarine or Bloodstone
APRILSapphire
Diamond
MAYChalcedony
Emerald
JUNEEmerald
Pearl, or Moonstone
JULY
Sardonyx
Ruby
AUGUSTSardius
Peridot or Sardonyx
SEPTEMBERChrysolite
Sapphire
OCTOBER
Beryl
Opal, Tourmaline
NOVEMBERTopaz
Topaz, Citrine
DECEMBERChrysophrasus
Turquoise, Tanzanite

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