Birthstones Exposed: Uncovering the Truth Behind Crystals and The Zodiac
Have you ever wondered where birthstones originated? Are birthstones and zodiac stones the same thing? Who decided which stone should be attributed to a certain month? While birthstones and zodiac stones have some similarities and crossovers, the truth is that zodiac stones have been around for ages – and birthstones came about long after. Here you will find the mystery behind these burning questions finally revealed!
People have been wearing and using Zodiac stones and birthstones for thousands of years. In modern day, we often use these terms interchangeably, but they actually have very different origins and meanings.
Birthstones are gemstones (both precious and semi-precious) that are assigned to a specific month. Our modern list of birthstones was created by the National Association of Jewelers (USA) in 1912. As you can imagine, this was mostly in an effort into motivate consumers to purchase expensive gemstones. Many of the gemstones chosen had traditional associations with the planets and the Zodiac.
However, birthstones, which go by the month rather than by the dates of the Zodiac, can be mis-leading. For example, if you were born in November, then your birthstone would be a Golden Topaz or a Citrine crystal. However, if you were born November 1st-22nd, then you are a Scorpio, but if you were born November 23rd-30th, the you are a Sagittarius. Scorpio and Sagittarius each have ancient connections with planets and gemstones that far pre-date the modern assignment of the stones to the months of the year. Additionally, the gemstones chosen for birthstones by the National Association of jewelers were among the most expensive of the stones traditionally associated with each. It certainly seems to me that this modern list is not as accurate in matching a stone’s energy to the wearer as the ancient associations are.
Since Zodiac stones have a correspondence to the planet that rules over that zodiac sign, I recommend choosing a Zodiac crystal rather than a modern birthstone. Wearing or using crystals for their Astrological/Zodiac correspondences can be done to enhance the positive attributes of your sign or to balance its negative aspects. You can also carry or wear crystals to enhance or balance the energies of the current astrological cycle.
Crystal/Astrological Zodiac Correspondences:
- Capricorn (Dec. 22nd – Jan. 20th) – Red Garnet, Amber, Black Onyx, Emerald, Peridot, Amethyst, Ruby
- Aquarius (Jan. 21st – Feb. 19th) – Amethyst, Rainbow Fluorite, Bloodstone, Pumice, Mica, Turquoise
- Pisces (Feb. 20th – March 20th) – Blue Lace Agate, Blue Kyanite, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Blue Tourmaline
- Aries (March 21st – April 19th) – Diamond, Pyrite, Smoky Quartz, Red Jasper, Clear Quartz, Carnelian
- Taurus (April 20th – May 20th) – Emerald, Rhodonite, Rose Quartz, Peridot, Carnelian, Pink Tourmaline
- Gemini (May 21st – June 21st) – Citrine, Moonstone, Moss Agate, Pumice, Mica, Golden Tiger’s Eye
- Cancer (June 22nd – July 23rd) – Ruby, Red Japer, Sunstone, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Blue Tourmaline
- Leo (July 24th – August 23rd) – Peridot, Carnelian, Golden Tiger’s Eye, Red Jasper, Clear Quartz, Garnet
- Virgo (August 24th – Sept. 22nd) – Blue Sapphire, Galena, Magnetite, Emerald, Peridot, Citrine, Carnelian
- Libra (Sept. 23rd – Oct. 22nd) – White Precious Opal, Black Obsidian, Wulfenite, Pumice, Mica, Aquamarine
- Scorpio (Oct. 23rd – Nov. 22nd) – Yellow Topaz, Chrysoprase, Malachite, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Moonstone
- Sagittarius (Nov. 23rd – Dec. 21st) – Turquoise, Jet, Labradorite, Red Jasper, Clear Quartz, Sodalite
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This article explains a lot. Cancer Sun & Asc ? fascination with Amethyst and Aquamarine. Aires on my 10th Cusp of Career (crystal healing) perhaps explains my huge love of Clear Quartz. Thank you Ashley for great info !
Fay, I had no idea that you were such an astrology expert! 🙂 Thanks so much for reading. P.S. I LOVE Aquamarine too (but I’m a Sag.). Crystal blessings!
I’m a Sagittarius and my favorite is Labradorite. No wonder I have several pieces and keep falling in love with more when I see them!
I’m a Sag. too Veta! Labradorite used to be one of my favorites, but I haven’t worked with it in a while. Your comment has inspired me to pick it back up and use it. 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Taurus. Rose Quartz. Enjoy all the others; but R.Q. is first.among those listed for me. So many crystals! Thank you Ashley!
Rose Quartz is such a nice stone. I can see why you’d choose it Mark. Crystal blessings!
I’m a Taurus & have always went with diamond! I do love Emerald & Rhodonite together. I love them all, it is hard when you are a rock hound:)
I completely agree Ginger – choosing is so hard! I’m a Sag. and out of the list associated with my stone I would probably choose Clear Quartz.Emerald and Rhodonite is such a sweet combo. 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
I’m a Virgo and have loved blue sapphire since childhood. After reading this post and discovering citrine & carnelian are Virgo stones, I’m thrilled! I started seriously working with crystals about 3 years ago, and have found myself reaching for carnelian often (even when it’s not the “recommended” stone for the job) and I’m passionately attracted to smokey citrine. More evidence that one’s own intuition should be trusted as a reliable resource for energetic healing. Thanks for the enlightening post Ashley!
Thanks so much for your comment Bobbie! Intuition really is key (more than any lists etc). However, it is fun to compare our insights to what other people throughout history have also felt intuitively and what they have seen results form in their own loves. 🙂 Thanks again!
I’m a Scorpio born in October and I’m always drawn to moonstone (of course it is similar in appearance to opal which I also really like 🙂 ) Malachite and amethyst are stones I wear frequently as well. Very interesting article! When I was a little girl my birthstone was pink tourmaline then they started changing it to opal. I’m not a huge fan of pink so this was fine with me. Sometimes I still see both listed.
I’m a Sagittarius & have worn Yellow Topaz for 40 years. While I love Topaz, I’ve always been drawn to Turquoise, and more recently, Labradorite. Now I know why. Very interesting!
Interesting post! I found my birthstone and zodiac stones overlapped, and that the zodiac stones listed for my sign were ones I really have come to love anyway. Not that I don’t like the others,, but a bond has just naturally developed with the zodiac stones over the years. That’s pretty awesome!
That is awesome Kim! Thank you so much for your comment. Crystal blessings!
<3 ^_^
Crystal blessings Nancy, thanks for your comment! 🙂
Symbols have played a key role in describing many of the components in Alchemy: solutions, solids & gases, along with the seven ruling planets and noble metals. By using geometry a new calendar and crystal symbols were created based on the relationship that exist between mathematics and the ruling planets.
Thanks for your comment, Patrick. Crystal blessings!
Thank you, Ashley! I agree completely with the preference you give to Zodiac rather than month!
I’d like to add that the personal “resonances” of crystals for somebody are to be found in the complete birthchart. Of course you may find correlations with the Sun sign and/or the Ascendant but this is oversimplification. In fact the main factors are the prominent Planets in the chart and these are not always the rulers of Sun sign or of Ascendant. I think Planets are linked with colours, Signs are rather ways of being. For example I have always liked green and green stones because Venus (green) is prominent in my chart and it doesn’t result from my Gemini Sun sign, but I like multicoloured crystals as well because Gemini are multiple…Another problem is to know if a prominent element (planet, sign) in the chart should be emphasized : the answer generally is “yes” but sometimes “no”!
Thanks Jean-Paul! Crystal blessings