Poem: Tiffany’s Photo: Jessa and Mark Anderson @ Flickr
What gemstones represent December? What are the meanings and symbolism of these gems? What makes them December birthstones?
December is the twelfth month of Gregorian calendar. And if you’re reading this article, chances are it’s your birth month or the birth month of someone you care about. The name December came from Latin word decem which means ten. The reason why December came from a word that means ten is December used to be the tenth month in the old Roman calendar. In the Northern Hemisphere, December marks the beginning of winter according to both astronomical and meteorological definitions. On the other hand, in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the beginning of summer. In many western countries, December is a time of festivity, celebration, and get-together.
The twelfth month is host to two zodiac signs: Sagittarius and Capricorn. Besides being connected to some of the boldest birth flowers, people who were born in the month of December are also fortunate to have three unique gemstones to represent their birth month. These three December birthstones are bloodstone, ruby, and turquoise. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.
1. Bloodstone
Photo: Bloodstone / Credit: Ra’ike @ Wikimedia Common
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Bloodstone is a traditional December birthstone.
Bloodstone is an opaque, dark green gemstone with red spots. The red spots resemble droplets of blood, and this resemblance inspired the name bloodstone. The red spots are a result of hematite inclusion. Another important component in the bloodstone is green jasper, this mineral is where bloodstone gets its deep dark green color from.
The December gem bloodstone is also called heliotrope, which means “sun turning” in Greek. In ancient times, it was believed that the bloodstone would enhance courage and physical strength. Warriors in antiquity carried bloodstones into battle in order to stop bleeding when they’re wounded. Bloodstone was also believed to have the power of preventing infection and avoiding death. Reportedly, the sun-turning stone also protects against the curse of the evil eye. For the uninitiated, the evil eye is a superstitious curse cast by a malevolent glare.
Bloodstone symbolizes strength, protection, health, longevity, nobility, and justice.
The stone is also believed to cure ailments related to blood. For example, nosebleeds, anemia, and blood disorders. It is also said to improve blood circulation. Other health benefits of bloodstone include strengthening the immune system, kidneys, bone marrow, and liver functions. In addition to health benefits, the Bloodstone also has metaphysical abilities. It’s believed that the Bloodstone can increase the courage of the wearer. This is because when you endure tragedies and chaos in your life, the bloodstone can give you a sense of inner strength. Inner strength is very important to have when overcoming hardship and tragedies in life. It can also boost endurance. Endurance means having the power to go through a difficult situation without giving up. With the bloodstone, you will have the endurance to stand up to the harsh times in life.
The stone of blood helps prepare athletes and warriors mentally for the fight, race, and match ahead. It can also strengthen the root chakra. The root chakra is centered on the emotional and spiritual balance of a person. The December gemstone can help develop clear thinking. This is important when making important decisions that can affect you and others. It enables the wearer to listen to their intuition since it helps with eliminating the delusion that can cloud thoughts.
2. Ruby
Photo: Ruby / Credit: Amila Tennakoon @ Flickr
Ruby is a traditional birthstone for December. Ruby is perhaps the most famous red gemstone. It belongs to the corundum gem family. Another notable member of this gem family is sapphire.
The red December stone’s name ruby came from Latin word rubeus which literally means red. Ruby means “king of gems” in Sanskrit (ratnaraj). From the 15th century to early twentieth century, ruby was the traditional birthstone in Britain. In ancient Roman societies, adorning ruby is believed to bring happiness and good health to a person who was born in December.
Ruby symbolizes health, wisdom, and good fortune. In terms of elemental affinity, ruby is related to fire and a little bit of earth.
Similar to topaz or emerald, the term ruby was used as an umbrella term for red gemstones by the ancients. As gemology advances, gemologists were able to distinguish gemstones better based on their compositions. For example, spinels were sometimes called rubies in the past. The famous Black Prince’s Ruby in the British Imperial State Crown is actually a red spinel.
3. Turquoise
Photo: Turquoise of Nishapur / Credit: Sonia Sevilla @ Wikimedia Common
Turquoise is a modern birthstone for December. It is an opaque colored gemstone found in various shades of green to blue colors. Its most signature color the color that is named after it—turquoise, which is a teal-like color.
Its name turquoise was derived from French turquois which means Turkish because it was first brought to Europe through Turkey.
The turquoise is considered to be a love charm as it is believed to make you more attractive.
As a birthstone, the turquoise is said to provide protection to its owner: protection from physical harm, mental stress, and even pollutants in the environment. Another benefit of this gemstone is that it can eliminate weariness and depression from the wearer. It is also believed that turquoise can assist with calming the nerves. This makes turquoise an excellent jewelry choice for events such as job interviews and public speaking.
Turquoise symbolizes calmness, happiness, peacefulness, and serenity. Its elemental affinities are water and air.
December Gemstones
In this article, we’ve discussed three gemstones that are designated as birthstones of December: bloodstone, ruby, and turquoise.
Birthstones by Month
January Birthstones | February Birthstones | March Birthstones | April Birthstones | May Birthstones | June Birthstones | July Birthstones | August Birthstones | September Birthstones | October Birthstones| November Birthstones | December Birthstones
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