The Gemini is the zodiac’s most versatile sign. Extremely sociable and adaptable, the Geminian blends effortlessly with the crowd. His quick wits and verbal prowess make the Gemini quite engaging, but also render him prone to tactless remarks that earn him enemies. Choices of Gemini birthstone have been identified to both nurture his innate strengths, and make up for his weaknesses at the same time.

Agate

You shall make a breastplate of judgment. … You shall set in it settings of stones in four rows: a row of sard, peridot and emerald shall be the first row … and the third row a ligure, an agate and an amethyst …

— Exodus 28:15-19

Agate is the Gemini birthstone from the Book of Exodus. Known as shevo in Hebrew,¹ agate was the gem on Aaron’s breastplate associated with Gemini. In addition, from as far back as Chaldean astrology, agate is the gemstone of Mercury. Mercury’s rulership over the zodiac sign makes agate the planetary Gemini stone. There is probably no birthstone for any zodiac sign more consistent than Gemini’s agate.

The banded variety of chalcedony, agate occurs in multiple colors and patterns. Achates in Greek,² agate was named after the river Achates in Sicily where the banded gem was found.³ Having been equated with chalcedony in Revelation, the agate on Aaron’s breastplate may be an entirely white gemstone, or a white agate with gray bands: similar to the variety of agate frequently used in ancient Egyptian work.⁴

Chalcedony

The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, lapis lazuli; the third, chalcedony …

— Revelation 21:19

Chalcedony is the Gemini birthstone from the Book of Revelation. Mentioned by the name chalkedon in Revelation, chalcedony is the 3rd foundation stone of the New Jerusalem.⁵ This makes chalcedony the birthstone of the 3rd sign of the zodiac.

While the term chalcedony now applies to translucent and opaque varieties of quartz, including agate and carnelian, the name was traditionally reserved for the translucent stone of an entirely white or pale blue color.⁶

Tiger eye

Tiger eye is a chatoyant yellow Gemini birthstone.⁷

Tiger eye, better known as tiger’s eye, is a variety of quartz produced by the silicification of blue asbestos. Chatoyancy characterizes the tiger eye, which consequently has an iridescent yellow luster, indeed like the eye of the tiger.

Emerald

According to Chaldaic tradition, emerald is the gemstone of Mercury,⁸ Gemini’s ruling planet. In Hindu astrology, emerald is likewise Mercury’s gem. Mercury’s rulership over the zodiac sign makes emerald the planetary Gemini birthstone in both Western and Hindu tradition.

Emerald is the green variety of beryl, which in blue-green is called aquamarine.

Citrine

Citrine is a glassy yellow Gemini birthstone.⁷

Citrine is the transparent yellow variety of quartz. This gemstone is in fact extremely rare. While citrine gems abound in the market, these are mostly heat-treated amethyst or smoky quartz.

White Sapphire

White sapphire is a colorless Gemini birthstone.⁹

Sapphire comes from the mineral corundum. In its purest form, free of any impurity, corundum is a colorless crystal. This clear crystal is called white sapphire.

Alexandrite

Alexandrite is a color-changing Gemini birthstone.¹⁰

Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl. What makes this gemstone unique is its ability to change color. An alexandrite can change from red during the day to purple at night under incandescent light.

Magnetite

Also known as lodestone, magnetite is a mineral associated with Gemini’s ruling planet, Mercury, in the Middle Ages as well as in the 1500s.⁸ This makes magnetite a planetary Gemini birthstone.

Gray in color, magnetite is an iron ore that, as the name suggests, is capable of magnetism.

Gemini Birthstone Color

Is it hard to pick a Gemini stone? It should not be. A Gemini who is undecided over his gem would not go wrong with agate, particularly white or grey agate. Agate is the oldest and most widely accepted Gemini gemstone.

Know Their Magic

Each birthstone for Gemini is attributed with magical properties. Know the magical powers of Gemini stone when you read my book Power Birthstone.

See Gemini in Action

Curious about Gemini and other zodiac signs? An enjoyable way to understand the different signs is to see how they behave, interact or fight in a narrative. Deomar Pandan has recently started a novel whose character profiles are based on astrology’s zodiac signs. Read his fantasy novel for FREE: Cosmons and the Tree of Immortality.

Footnotes

1

“Exodus 28.” The Bible. Bible Hub, biblehub.com/interlinear/exodus/28.htm. Accessed 28 July 2019.

2

“Exodus 28.” Septuagint. Blue Letter Bible, www.blueletterbible.org/lxx/exo/28/1/s_78001. Accessed 28 July 2019.

3

Theophrastus. On Stones. Trans. Earle R. Caley and John F. C. Richards. Colombus: The Ohio State University, 1956. p. 52.

4

Kunz, George Frederick. “On the High-priest’s Breastplate.” The Curious Lore of Precious Stones. New York: Halcyon House, 1938. pp. 282-296.

5

“Revelation 21.” The Bible. Bible Hub, biblehub.com/interlinear/revelation/21.htm. Accessed 28 July 2019.

6

Knuth, Bruce G. “Chalcedony.” Gems in Myth, Legend and Lore. Revised ed. Parachute: Jewelers Press, 2007. p. 63.

7

Conway, D. J. “Personal Gemstones.” Crystal Enchantments: A Complete Guide to Stones and Their Magical Properties. Crossing Press, 1999. Google Books.

8

Knuth, Bruce G. “Birthstones.” Gems in Myth, Legend and Lore. Revised ed. Parachute: Jewelers Press, 2007. pp. 293-327.

9

Eason, Cassandra. “Birthstones.” Healing Crystals: An Illustrated Guide to 150 Crystals and Gemstones. Collins & Brown, 2005. Google Books.

10

Mella, Dorothee L. “A Practical Guide for Astrological Colors, Gemstones, & Metals.” Stone Power II. Albuquerque: Brotherhood of Life, 1986. p. 23.

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