12 and 12 More: Alternate Choices for Birthstones

"The February-born shall find

Sincerity and peace of mind,

Freedom from passion and from care,

If they an amethyst will wear."

                                                                            - Birthstone Poem, first published by Tiffany and Co., 1870

If you talk to mathematicians, the number twelve is where it's at. They call it the duodecimal or "dozenal," system—and have written dozens (ha!) of papers arguing for its adoption.

The mathematicians aren't alone, either. When you look at human history, the number twelve has a lot of staying power:

• Twelve inches to a foot
• Twelve items to a dozen—and twelve dozens to a gross
• Twelve troy ounces to troy pound
• Twelve tribes of Israel—and twelve disciples of Jesus
• Twelve Western Zodiac signs per year—or twelve Chinese Zodiac signs in a cycle

And, of course ...

• Twelve months in a year—and twelve birthstones to go with them!

But Which Birthstone?

There are many systems of birthstones, coming from multiple cultures and histories, and each has their own origin story.

A great many of the birthstone beliefs used in the United States and Europe come from Biblical sources and the medieval church. Many of the gemstones currently used as birthstones are listed in the breastplate of Aaron, the High Priest (Exodus 28:17-20). During the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, those stones were frequently assigned to specific saints. Believers would wear that saint's gemstone as a way of encouraging their attention or assistance with a specific physical, emotional or spiritual problem. This system of belief eventually evolved into the current system of metaphysical or healing associations with particular gemstones.

In the 900s, the use of gemstones to treat a range of spiritual ailments was emerging in Tibet. Meanwhile, Ayurvedic medicine was taking off in India, with different gemstones associated with different months and different personality types. This came out of a long tradition of birthstones in ancient Indus Valley writings. Some gemstone names have been translated—others are still a mystery.

Not all birthstone lists run on a per-month basis. Some are yearly—like the Chinese Zodiac—while others are based on the day, or even the hour, of birth.

Alternative Designing

Birthstones are a popular gift item for both women and men. From class rings to full jewelry sets, there's birthstone jewelry that appeals to everyone. With all the different sources of birthstones, jewelry makers have some unusual options to make their designs stand out:

Chinese Zodiac vs. Babylonian Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac is year-based, with a new sign taking precedence on the lunar New Year: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Horse, etc. Lunar New Year varies from year to year, usually falling sometime between January 1st and February 20th. If your customers were born within that time frame, you'll need to pay special attention in order to identify their proper year and get them the proper birthstone.

Meanwhile, American newspapers tend to list the Babylonian Zodiac, also called the western, tropical or sidereal Zodiac, with its familiar list of names: Aquarius, Taurus, Virgo, etc. This Zodiac traces the sun's progress across the sky over the course of a single year, marking its position within 12 named zones. The zones are named after particular constellations, but those constellations are not the only ones within each zone of the sky.

Here's the sidereal Zodiac, with its traditional birthstones, per George F. Kunz's seminal book The Curious Lore of Precious Stones:

• Aries (March 22 - April 20): bloodstone
• Taurus (April 21 - May 21): sapphire
• Gemini (May 22 - June 20): agate
• Cancer (June 21 - July 22): emerald
• Leo (July 23 - August 22): onyx
• Virgo (August 23 - September 22): carnelian
• Libra (September 23 - October 23): chrysolite
• Scorpio (October 24 - November 21): beryl
• Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21): topaz
• Capricorn (December 22 - January 20): ruby
• Aquarius (January 21 - February 21): garnet
• Pisces (February 22 - March 21): amethyst

What about that "new" Zodiac sign?

Some adherents of sidereal astrology include the sign Ophiuchus (aw-fee-YEW-kuss), while others stick to the standard and traditional twelve. The constellation now known as Ophiuchus ("snake-bearer") was called Asclepius by the Romans, named after a son of Apollo. In myth, Asclepius was famous for his healing powers.

With the inclusion of Ophiuchus, the sidereal Zodiac dates change. Here's what it looks like with the "thirteenth sign":

• Aries (April 19 - May 13)
• Taurus (May 14 - June 19)
• Gemini (June 20 - July 20)
• Cancer (July 21 - August 9)
• Leo (August 10 - September 15)
• Virgo (September 16 - October 30)
• Libra (October 31 - November 22)
• Scorpio (November 23 - November 29)
• Ophiuchus (November 30 - December 17)
• Sagittarius (December 18 - January 18)
• Capricorn (January 19 - February 15)
• Aquarius (February 16 - March 11)
• Pisces (March 12 - April 18)

If you choose, you can offer these birthstones for the "snake-bearer" sign: fluorite, bloodstone, tanzanite, kyanite and black tourmaline. As astrologers' adoption and use of Ophiuchus is new and nonstandardized, there are a variety of other gemstones also associated with this Zodiac sign. Explore the alternatives and make your own choices!

Cultural Birthstones

Birthstones by Day of the Week

Birthstones by Hour of Birth

Babylonian Zodiac

Chinese Zodiac