Tap to Read ➤

Birthstones by Zodiac

Tilottama Chatterjee
History of associating birthstones and zodiac goes back to 1st Century A.D., when a Jewish Historian Josephus drew relevance between a Bible anecdote of 12 precious stones in Aaron's breastplate, 12 months and 12 zodiacs.
Combining astrology with traditional birthstones turns out to be a winning combination for an ardent believer of the same. Whether you're a temperamental crab, an outgoing lion, or a cool archer, birthstones according to the zodiac come up with the best gems to wear to bring you luck and favorable fortune. 
The two are intrinsically linked. Their mystical powers are enhanced when one complements the other.

Zodiac Birthstones

Essentially, there are four main categories, the Gregorian Calendar, Modern birthstones adopted by the Jewelers of America and are followed throughout the US, Australia and Thailand, the Mystical birthstones of Tibet, the Ayurvedic birthstones from India. For authenticity, many jewelers also carry a color chart that you can check when making a purchase.
Aries
Bloodstone provides courage and protection to Aries.
Represented by Ram, Aries is a fire sign. The gemstone associated with this sign is the bloodstone. Also known as the heliotrope, it has a classic deep-green color with specks of red, thus stating the origin of its name.
Taurus
Sapphire offers mental healing and protection to Taurus, symbolized by the Bull and associated with the gemstone Sapphire, a variety of corundum mineral. It differs from ruby only in color.
Agate strengthens the will of Gemini and enhances their charming,vibrant personality.
Gemini
Gemini, the sign of the twins, is an air sign and is associated with Agate, a variety of Quartz. Its complex structure gives it an opaque or translucent look. It is a semi-precious stone. Like the multifaceted personalities of a Gemini, Agate comes with various properties and colors, thus more suitable to this zodiac sign.
Cancer
Ruby brings stability and reduces mood swings in Cancerians, symbolized by the crab and associated with the gemstone Ruby.
Leo
Onyx helps Leo maintain their mental peace, focus, channelize their energy and succeed in life.
The zodiac sign and symbol associated with Leo is the majestic Lion. The birthstone for Leo is the Onyx, also a form of Quartz. It is dark in color and opaque. It is found in Brazil, Madagascar, and India.
Virgo
Carnelian reminds Virgo of their virtue of emotions, warmth and helps to progress in life.
The sixth sign of the zodiac is Virgo, which is an earth sign symbolized by the Virgin. Their gemstone is the Carnelian. It is red in color. It was worn by ancient Egyptians as a source of lasting endurance. Carnelian is a mirror to the characteristics of Virgo and helps them in keeping their virtues intact and eliminating fear, for a prosperous life.
Libra
Peridot wards off negativity and helps Libra in maintaining their intellect and a balance in life.
The Libran scales that symbolize this air sign are associated with the Libran's constant endeavor to maintain a balance in physical, mental and spiritual health. The birthstone for Librans is the olive-green Peridot. This is a rare and expensive stone. It was popularly used in Roman and Egyptian jewelry.
Scorpio
Beryl enriches love, brings cheer and deepens sincerity in a Scorpio. Scorpio is the second water sign and the eighth in the zodiac.
It is associated with the birthstone Beryl. This is a translucent stone that comes in many colors. However, only the red and yellow stones are called beryl. Blue ones are known as aquamarines and green ones are known as emeralds. Yellow beryl, also known as the golden beryl is representative of Scorpio personality traits.
Sagittarius
Topaz strengthens a Sagittarius, brings prosperity, success and enhances their optimistic personality.
The archer symbolizes the fire sign of Sagittarius and has topaz as its birthstone. Also topaz is the stone for December month and the ruling planet of the zodiac, that is, Jupiter. This gemstone comes in many colors like yellow, blue, red, orange, and green.
Capricorn
Ruby renders courage, peace of mind, mental strength in Capricorn and wards off negativity.
Capricorn ends the calendar year, but is only the tenth sign of the zodiac. It is an earth sign. It is associated with the birthstone Ruby. It is a variety of the corundum and comes in various shades of red.
Aquarius
Garnet garners affection, friendship, strength and healing in Aquarius.
The symbol for Aquarius is the Water Bearer. It is an air sign. The birthstone for Aquarius is the Garnet. This stone gets its name from the Greek word granatum which means a pomegranate seed.
Pisces
Amethyst heals, enhances spirituality, love, compassion and courage in Pisces.
The last sign of the Zodiac is the water sign Pisces. Symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions, Pisces are highly representative of the deeper philosophies of life. It is associated with the Amethyst. This stone is purple in color. It is known to fade under excess sunlight.
Whether you believe in birthstones and zodiac or not, should you choose to pick up a trinket or two, take a minute to think about your birthstone.