The origin of the belief that a special stone was dedicated to each month, and that the stone of the month possessed a special virtue or cure that it could transmit to those born in that month, goes back at least the first century. There is speculation that the twelve stone in the great breastplate of the Jewish High Priest may have had some bearing on this evolution. In the eighth and ninth centuries, the interpreters of Revelation began to ascribe to each of these stones the attributes of the twelve apostles. The Hindus on the other hand had there own interpretation. But whatever the reason, one fact is clear. The owner of a ring or ornament set with a birthstone s impressed with the idea of possessing something more intimately associated with his or her personality than any other stone, however beautiful or costly. The idea that birthstones possess a certain indefinable, but none-the-less real significance has long been present, and still holds a spell over the minds of all who are gifted with a touch of imagination and romance. Keep in mind that most birthstones come in several colors. You may be surprised to learn that the color you associate with your birthstone may be only one of the several available. For example, most people think garnet is dark red and are surprised to learn it can be green, orange, yellow, white, purple – virtually every color in the rainbow except blue. Before discarding your birthstone as a choice, check out all the colors in which it may be available. Accents with diamonds with the personal significance of the birthstone for a lovely, deeply, meaningful, and often much more affordable piece of jewelry. In addition to birthstones, the choice of a particular colored stone may be connected to mystical powers, attributed or symbolism with which the stone has been historically identified. There is an almost limitless wealth of information about colored gems, enough to stir the imagination of even the greatest cynic. Besides the list of birthstones and zodiacal or talismanic stones, there are lists of stones for days of the week, hours of the day, and states of the union, for each of the seasons.