History of Gemstones

12 Stones for the 12 Tribes of Israel
The concept of birthstones is possibly the oldest tradition in the field of jewelry. Most gem scholars agree that the tradition of birthstones arose from the Breastplate of Aaron, a ceremonial religious garment that was set with 12 gemstones to represent the 12 tribes of Israel. According to the Bible, God promised Abraham a separate homeland for Israelites, called the land of Canaan. The promise was delivered during the time of Moses, who led the 12 tribes of Israel from Egypt towards the promised land of Canaan. When their kingdom was established, the Israelites were given a high priest to guide them spiritually. The high priest had a breastplate with twelve jewels that were engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Exodus 39:8-14
8 They fashioned the breastpiece—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 9 It was square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. 10 Then they mounted four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row there was a ruby, a topaz and a beryl; 11 in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald; 12 in the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; 13 in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. They were mounted in gold filigree settings. 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

12 Stones for the 12 Signs of the Zodiac
Over time, each of the 12 jewels became correlated with the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Astrology said the appropriate crystal or gemstone for an individual was determined by the position of planets at the moment of birth. Ruling planets were then linked with corresponding gems, giving rise to the Zodiac system. As far back as 3000 BC, ancient India and Babylon civilizations invested gemstones with magical properties and mystical powers. Color was thought to unleash the power attributed to the stone and quite often before a person bought a jewel, they consulted an astrologer first. Once the Julian calendar system was introduced, the birthstone list for the zodiac months was transposed to the corresponding calendar months. In 1912, the American National Jewelers Association released a complete list of birthstones for calendar months, a list that has now become rather universally accepted.

Some folklore says that birthstones are tied to the wisdom of ancient Atlantis, where history and myth tell of an advanced race of humans. Others believe that birthstones were found by the original pagan religions, where it was believed that all stones had certain vibrations that reacted with the natural vibrations of people born during each particular month. In modern times, many religions continue to use crystals or gemstones for protecting, healing, contemplating or guiding.

However the lore of birthstones resonated, the gems were believed to possess power or bring luck when worn or owned. Thus, the tradition of giving and wearing birthstones began and remains strong today.