A gemstone associated with the month of someone's birth, traditionally believed to bring luck or have special powers for people born in that month.
Compound of 'birth' and 'stone' (Old English 'stan', from Proto-Germanic 'stainaz'). Medieval tradition linked gemstones to zodiac signs and months; modernized in the 19th century with a standardized list.
Birthstones aren't ancient magic—the standardized list we use today was largely created by the jewelry industry in 1912 to boost sales, though the tradition of lucky gems dates back centuries!
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