BIRTHSTONES BY MONTH
Birthstones are commonly associated with a month in a typical year. The birthstone for January is a garnet, while our favorite is April a diamond .
Diamonds a girl’s best friend, the diamond is the traditional birthstone for the month of April and supposed to bring the wearer better relationships, an increase in inner strength,balance, clarity and is a symbol of eternal love.
Ancient legends proclaiming the magical powers of diamonds were prevalent. Some thought that lightning bolts formed the gem while others claimed diamonds were the tears of god, bits of shattered stars and were believed to tip Cupid’s arrows.
In the Middle Ages, diamonds were thought to hold extraordinary healing and magical powers that could cure diseases related to the brain and pituitary gland. It was believed that diamonds had a certain purity associated with them and could draw out the poisonous toxins that were harming the body from within.
Hindu tradition links these precious jewels to Venus. Other ancient traditions associated diamonds with the planet Mars. The association with Mars has probably something to do with the tradition of warriors wearing diamonds before engaging in battle for protection to make the warrior invincible and strengthen his muscles.
Jewish high priests used diamonds to decide the innocence or guilt of the accused – a stone held before a guilty person was supposed to dull and darken, while when held before an innocent one to glow with increased brilliance.
In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, every ring set with a precious stone was not considered as much a piece of jewellery, but more as an amulet that bestowed magical powers upon its wearer. When set in gold and worn on the left side, it was believed that the diamond held the power to drive away nightmares, to ward off devils, phantoms and soothe savage beasts.
A house or garden touched at each corner with a diamond was supposed to be protected from lightning, storms and blight.
But there is a darker side to this sparkling gem – diamond powder administered internally, was however a legendary poison.
The son of the Turkish Sultan Bajazet (1447-1513) was said to have murdered his father pouring a large quantity of powdered diamond in his father’s food.
In l532, Pope Clement VII’s doctors dosed him with 14 spoonfuls of pulverised gems, including diamond, which resulted in death for the patient.
In the same century, Catherine de Medici was famous for dealing out death by diamond powder, and Benvenuto Cellini, the famous Italian goldsmith, described an attempt on his life by an enemy who ordered diamond powder to be mixed in his salad.
The diamond is still the most coveted gem in the world and is regarded as the “king of all birthstones.”
The origin of birthstones dates back to the breastplate of Aaron (חֹשֶׁן ẖošen) which contained twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The current list dates back to 1912 with only one addition since then – the tanzanite was added to December.
There are numerous legends and myths about birthstone healing powers and their therapeutic influence. According to these legends, wearing a gemstone during its assigned month heightened its healing powers. For the full effect, individuals needed to own all twelve and alternate them monthly.
