Birthstones
A birthstone is a gift of a precious material
(jewelry, mainly gemstones; themselves traditionally
associated with various qualities) that symbolizes
the month of birth (in the Gregorian Calendar).
It is sometimes also called birthday stone (cf.
infra; but that word is, confusingly, sometimes
used as a synonym for an anniversary gift, which
is related to the recipient's age, i.e. year
of birth).
There have been many different sets of birthstones
used throughout history and in different cultures,
but in 1912 the American national association
of jewelers, Jewelers of America, officially
adopted the following list; it is currently
the most widely used list in the United States
and many other places, including Australia (a
jeweler's 'modern' list states they are selected
for bright colors) and Thailand; some alternatives
are added:
| Month |
Birthstone
|
Alternate |
| January |
Garnet |
Rose Quartz |
| February |
Amethyst |
Onyx |
| March |
Aquamarine |
Red Jasper ('Bloodstone') |
| April |
Diamond |
Rock Crystal (Quartz) |
| May |
Emerald |
Chrysoprase |
| June |
Pearl (the only non-mineral) |
Alexandrite or MoonstoneJuly |
| July |
Ruby |
Jade or Carnelion |
| August |
Peridot |
Aventurine, Sardonyx, or Sapphire |
| September |
Sapphire |
Lapis lazuli |
| October |
Opal |
Pink Tourmaline |
| November |
Citrine |
Yellow Topaz or Turquoise |
| December |
Blue Topaz |
Turquoise, Tanzanite, or Zircon |
Birthday
stones (II)
While this word has also been used as synonym
of Birth stone (see above), there is a separate
list of assignment according to the day of the
week of the recipient's birth:
• Monday : Pearl (the only non-gem)
• Tuesday : Garnet
• Wednesday : Cat's eye (Chatoyant Chrysoberyl)
• Thursday : Emerald
• Friday : Topaz
• Saturday : Sapphire
• Sunday : Ruby
Zodiac
stones
There is an astrological version
of the birthstones using the twelve zodiac signs
instead of the twelve calendar months. Listed
below are the corresponding dates for the tropical
sun signs and their associated birthstone.
• Aries (March 21 - April 19) Diamond
• Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Emerald
• Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Spinel
• Cancer (June 21 - July 22) Pearl
• Leo (July 23 - August 23) Ruby
• Virgo (August 24 - September 22) Sapphire
• Libra (September 23 - October 23) Peridot
• Scorpio (October 24 - November 21) Aquamarine
• Sagittarius (November 22 - December
21) Topaz
• Capricorn (December 22 - January 21)
Garnet
• Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)
Amethyst and moonstone
• Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Diamond
Chinese
Zodiac
----- Rabbit
1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987,
1999
People born in the Year of the Rabbit
are articulate, talented, and ambitious.
They are virtuous, reserved, and have
excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired,
trusted, and are often financially lucky.
They are fond of gossip but are tactful
and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom
lose their temper. They are clever at
business and being conscientious, never
back out of a contract. They would make
good gamblers for they have the uncanny
gift of choosing the right thing. However,
they seldom gamble, as they are conservative
and wise. They are most compatible with
those born in the years of the Sheep,
Pig, and Dog.
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