Birthstone Research Paper

My Birthstone: Aquamarine

There are twelve months in the calendar and for each there is a birthstone. A birthstone is

a gemstone that symbolizes a person’s month of birth. Today, many believe that there could be a

connection between the twelve stones and the twelve signs of the zodiac. What is really

interesting is the fact that this believe goes back in time to the first century. According to

GemologyOnline.com, the connection between the stones and the zodiac signs go back in time to

the first century, when Jewish historian Josephus admitted a possible connection between the

stones and the signs. Each birthstone has a different name as well as different physical properties

characteristics like color, shape, density and hardness.
The level of hardness of

Topaz is eight and it has an orthorhombic crystal shape. This stone is frequently found in the

United States, Australia and Brazil. The name of the last birthstone is Zircon (ZrSiO4), the

birthstone color of this stone is blue, however it can be found in any color all depending on its

minerals. According to sciencenotes.org, “some zircons contain radioactive uranium or thorium

and although they can be found throughout the Earth’s crust, large zircon crystals are rare. The

level of hardness of Zircon is of seven and half and it has tetragonal crystal shape.

In conclusion, although the twelve birthstones have a few similarities they also have a

few differences. For example some of the birthstones can have different colors all depending of

the minerals each stone is made of. Birthstones can also have different levels of hardness some

examples are Diamond, which is the hardest of the stones with a level of ten and Peridot which is

the lowest of the stones by having a level of hardness of six and half to seven. The reality is that

all of the stones are unique and each has a special meaning for each month of the year just like

zodiac