How do you feel about your birthstone? Did you realize that you also have a zodiac stone or stones? At Bario Neal, we help our clients create ethically-sourced jewelry - and oftentimes,  this involves gemstones which they feel a connection to in some way. Maybe it’s an heirloom stone from a significant family member. Maybe it’s the birthstone of a son or daughter. Maybe a couple mined their own stones and want us to help design a piece with them (yes, this has happens!). We have always loved the process of helping clients choose meaningful, ethically-sourced gemstones to wear, and we’re interested to hear from an astrologer and energy healer who uses gemstones in her practice what her perspective on birthstones and zodiac stones is. Rebecca Conran, a Certified Holistic Health Coach who teaches a variety of holistic and healing classes - including Astrology classes, indulged us in an informative and inspiring discussion about our connection to stones, how they can help us, and how to break the "rules" in choosing which ones are right for you.

How do you feel about birthstones? Do you think they actually correlate to Astrology?

I don’t personally feel a connection to birthstones, but I can definitely see the relation between zodiac stones and different planets and zodiac signs. Many people might feel drawn to their zodiac stone, but I don’t really. I’m a cancer born in July, but Rubies don’t really do it for me. Perhaps this is because when it comes to the birth chart and our personal astrology, we are so much more than our sun sign. In astrology, more than the Sun sign, someone’s Moon/Venus sign is going to tell you more accurately what their aesthetics and personal tastes are. 

Precious stones carry different healing vibrations, so another thing that strikes me in terms of zodiac/birthstones is that I’m not sure if you need more of your zodiac (Sun sign) energy. Let's say you are a water sign like me. More water in terms of the healing stones you wear might lead to energy overload; it could stimulate too much of an element you are already in possession of. I believe that sometimes you need the opposite energy of your sign for balance. If you are very watery, you might need more of an earth energy. If you are Earthy, you might need more fire. Life is about balance, and I think this also relates to the materials we wear that have subtle energetic frequencies.

What suggestions do you have for people who want to represent their birthday with a gemstone in jewelry but don’t like their birth or zodiac stone?

With stones, essential oils or anything that you may choose to personally support you, follow your intuition. Whenever you are drawn to something via touch, smell, sight, you are connecting to it through your sensory feeling, yes - but also through your intuitive guidance. My suggestion would be go with what appeals to you visually, or what feels good when you pick it up. You’ll be so validated when you go to look up what that stone is and see that the qualities it holds vibrationally are probably exactly what you need. I am a big fan of connecting to what we need on the intuitive level rather than on an intellectual level. 

Again, even though I’m a Sun sign Cancer, I’ve never been drawn to rubies. In general, I am drawn to more ethereal lighter tones and maybe that is softening some element that is in me that needs balance. Follow your tastes even if they are shifting from moment to moment because our tastes are always showing us we need. Using an intuitive process, you’ll probably have a lot more happy jewelry wearers.

"...our tastes are always showing us what we need."

What suggestions do you have for people who want to represent a loved one’s birthday with a gemstone in jewelry, but don’t know if using a birthstone or zodiac stone is the right choice?

If you go by the intuitive process it’s going to be something that somebody likes a lot more than if you go by the book. Instead of referencing the sign, try to describe the person in 3 words. “Energetic, Emotional, Assertive” - knowing that would tell me that someone could use some earthy energy. Or ask yourself, what’s their favorite color? Or what is their favorite flower? That would give you much more information about their energy and what stones they would like rather than their birthstone. 

I think there is nothing worse than a gift that doesn’t suit you. It’s hard to receive those presents sometimes. When someone gets you something and it’s just not you, you can feel really unseen and unheard. We are so dynamic and there is so much more to us than these mainstream concepts like zodiac/birth stones; if we just take a moment to listen to our instincts, we know better what is best for us than a stone chart format.

What gemstones do you wear in jewelry for their healing properties?

I wear a lot of opal. Probably because I am working with my Libra in Saturn so opal helps me connect to what I want to do in my earth work. Libra is a sign of balance, and the element of air - calling in the some necessary tools like more reasoning energy for this emotional watery crab. 

I also wear a lot of malachite. I started wearing malachite when I started commuting between upstate New York & Brooklyn. Malachite is a great stone when traveling because it is very grounding. You have to wear it with care though because it is such a strong healing stone, so sometimes when I am in an Energy Healing session with my clients I’ll take my jewelry off! Some stones will draw you into a healing space that you don’t need at the moment. Sometimes if you are not in a place to stimulate the healing, a healing stone can be too intense, so choose your jewelry with intention.

How do you use crystals?

I use stones in personal healing and in sessions with my clients, I work with the Chakra systems in my Energy Healing but again, I use my senses to choose what is right in the moment. For the novice, you can also do this at home. The 7 main chakras are color coded (a simple google search will show you where on the rainbow each chakra falls). Whatever color stone is similar to the chakra field is good for that energy center. Feeling really drawn to deep red stones? Your Root chakra would appreciate the grounding. Yellow? Your Solar Plexus needs a little self worth/esteem support, and so on. 

You can also go by feelings, if someone is really anxious, look for a stone that is in the Root Chakra color family - again, for grounding and earthing. If someone has a broken heart or grief, go with a stone that mimics the heart chakra - aqua, pale green, pale pink. I do think that there are some stones that are universally good for everyone when used intuitively like tourmaline, lapis lazuli, amethyst, selenite, rose quartz and labradorite - these are just great stones to have at home on hand for your personal healing.

How do you feel about gemstone trends?

If you look at where trends in general stem from, it usually comes from someone who has a unique sense of self that others have followed. I feel like because people are so disconnected from their creativity, and really their feminine energy, they ride the creative coattails of others. When we see the fads that blast off to outer space, it's kind of a cultural creative laziness that I’m not a huge fan of. Perhaps social media has made it more easy to lack creativity. I enjoy a multitude of trends from throughout time, but at the same time I don’t follow trends. I try to just listen to myself: "What do I like today?", "What feels nice to me?" And then I choose based on what I feel, not what I think is cool or what I think others will like.

Rebecca Conran is a certified Holistic Life & Wellness Coach (CHHC) and certified Energy Healer. She was Senior Practitioner at Maha Rose Center for Wellness in Brooklyn, NY from 2012 until February 2017 when she embarked on her own private practice. Over the last 8 years she has taught many wellness classes on Energy Healing, Astrology, Empath Empowerment, Inner Child Healing and more as well as working with thousands of clients one-on-one to overcome addiction, anxiety and depression. She is a psychic medium and clairsentient, meaning she has the ability to experience and feel another person's emotional states. She is able to clearly pinpoint areas of dis-ease within the body, mind and spirit, and with her knowledge of wellness and nutrition as well as energy healing, she brings her clients back into balance holistically. Tune in weekly to her Energy Report Astrology Podcast, “New Story with Rebecca Conran” - available wherever podcasts are streamed. www.RebeccaConran.com

Want to hear what BN staff members think of their birthstones? Keep scrolling!

If you've been to one of Bario Neal's Showrooms or worked with us before, you know that BN is a staff of creative people who share a passion for ethically-sourced jewelry. We love becoming part of our clients’ stories when working to craft jewelry that commemorates significant life events or their personal style. Our clients often ask us to design jewelry with birthstones or zodiac stones - or ask us if we think there is meaning to birthstones. Below we've shared our perspectives on zodiac and birthstones, ways clients incorporate them into jewelry, and what we typically recommend. Above all though, we always recommend trusting your instincts!

On Clients + Birthstones/ Zodiac Stones

with Sarah Rachel Brown, BN Custom Design Specialist

Do clients often come to you wanting to make jewelry with their own or a loved one’s birthstone or zodiac stone? 

SRB: Definitely! Currently, I'm working on two different custom rings that incorporate stones based on their partner/children's birthstone.

Have you ever had clients want to use a birthstone or zodiac stone which doesn’t work with the design? If so, what do you suggest doing?

SRB: I've encountered this situation a few times, especially when a client is creating a cluster ring and wants to include a birthstone or zodiac stone. I often suggest burnish-setting a 1mm or 1.3mm stone on the interior of the shank so that the stone is still incorporated into the ring but the color of the stone does not compromise the overall aesthetic of the design. This option also creates this special aspect of the ring that only the wearer and giver know about. 

If a client does not like the birthstone/zodiac stone of a loved one who they would like to represent in their jewelry, what do you suggest doing?

SRB: If the client is not a fan of their birthstone or zodiac stone, I first suggest researching further because often there are multiple types of stones or colors tied to a specific birth month or zodiac sign. If this doesn't resolve the issue, instead of incorporating a stone to represent a birth month or sign, I would opt for a special engraving on the interior of the shank. There is plenty of symbolism tied to one's birthdate or zodiac. 

BN Staff: Thoughts on Gemstones + Zodiac Stones

What month were you born? What is your astrological sign?

What is your birthstone? How do you feel about it? (Do you feel any connection to it? Would you ever want to make jewelry with it?)

Page: My birthstone is the ruby. I’ve actually always loved the vibrancy of deep red rubies, but don’t feel much of a connection to the more pink rubies. As a child, it felt very glamorous to have ruby as my birthstone, however, I don’t have any jewelry with rubies. 

Ivy: Garnet which I love. It's especially nice that garnets come in a multitude of colors other than that traditional oxblood red color, but that is my favorite. I especially like our anthill garnets because they have such a cool back story and great deep color.

Ariel:  Emerald, I love my birthstone and feel that it brings me warmth. I have birthstone jewelry from when I was a child that I have started to wear again over the past few years. 

Sarah: Pearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite. I'm apathetic when it comes to birthstones, I actually had to Google what mine are. If I were going to make a birthstone piece for myself, I'd likely incorporate Alexandrite. Again, not much for birthstones so probably won't happen. 

Kelsey: My birthstone is a blue sapphire, thank goodness because they are beautiful! I would absolutely rock some sapphires, our Sapphire Slice Studs are perfect.

Jenna: Peridot is my birthstone; however, I've never particularly felt a connection to the stone.

Jenny: My birthstone is amethyst. Growing up I knew that it was my birthstone, but I never really felt any strong connection to it. It seemed more like a decorative stone to put on a shelf than something I would want to wear as jewelry. 

Jessa: My birthstone is Garnet, and as a younger person I used to really dislike the dark maroon color of the stone, which reminded me of the pleather seats in taxis where I used to feel carsick (haha!). When I was a kid, and paid too much attention to "rules," I remember even being jealous of my friends' "cooler" brighter-colored birthstones. In the past 5 years or so, however, I've come around to being really into garnet's vampy-ness. Now I lust after Bario Neal's Lash Linear Garnet Ring.

What is your zodiac stone? How do you feel about it? Do you feel any connection to it? Would you ever want to make jewelry with it?

Page: My zodiac stone is emerald & I have always been very drawn to the color, quality, and history of emeralds. I do think they have a water quality which resonates with Cancers. I wear our Sol Emerald Octagonal Ring almost daily & love it!

Ivy: I didn't know there were Zodiac stones until I looked it up just now. Apparently they are Ruby, Agate, Garnet and Onyx, all of which I am very down with although only Garnet and Ruby are really suitable for long term jewelry. I do love red though!

Ariel: I know nothing about my zodiac sign stones.

Sarah: My zodiac stone is Emerald. I had to do some research to figure out the difference between a birthstone and zodiac stone. In general, I'm a fan of Emeralds so I wear them but it's never been because it's my zodiac stone. It's nice to know. 

Kelsey: I am not sure what my zodiac sign is and wasn't able to find it online.

Jenna: Apparently, the carnelian is one of the zodiac stones for Virgos. BN has some bright orange cabochon carnelians in stock, which I fell in love with during a shoot. Their warm vibe reminds me of a sunset in late summer, which is when my birthday is. I would definitely consider making jewelry with it. I'm envisioning it set in yellow gold as a solitaire ring!

Jenny: I had no idea what zodiac jewelry was before you asked me! I like the idea that there are a few different stones that have meaning in relation to your zodiac sign. For a Pisces, the stones that resonate with me are ocean jasper (the stone of happiness and joy), jade (brings renewal, endurance, wisdom, and spiritual growth), and amethine (manifestation, balance, courage, and opportunity). I really like the symbolism. I could see myself possibly wearing the ocean jasper since it's so beautiful and dynamic. 

Jessa: I've never heard of a zodiac stone before—it seems that there are many "options" for Aquarius, including amethyst and amber. I have always been attracted to amber, and the pieces of amethyst in the old gem room at the Museum of Natural History. I don't see myself making jewelry with either anytime soon, however.

What are your thoughts about birthstone or zodiac stone jewelry? Gimmicky or do you think it works?

Page: If you like your birthstone or astrological stone, then that is lucky & why not incorporate it into your jewelry? But, I really don’t put much weight on birthstones or astrological stones. I am always a fan of going with gemstones that you feel drawn to instinctively and aesthetically. When my children were born, I designed a ring for myself with gemstones that I felt were representative of each of them. When choosing the gemstones, I focused on the colors and the qualities of the stones that felt true to their personalities rather than relying on the assigned birthstone chart. I think that often can be a better way to go about choosing stones to represent yourself or someone you love. 

Ivy: Totally in the eye of the beholder. I like my birthstone so I am down for some jewelry that features it but I don't think it has any specific meaning. I think this kind of jewelry works best when commemorating something or honoring a person. You should use the stones you love and want in your piece and the date and time you happened to be born shouldn't keep that from happening.

Ariel:  I think birthstone jewelry totally works but only if it is done tastefully and created in a way where it is not obvious that it is 'birthstone' jewelry. I also like the idea of wearing birthstone jewelry paired or stacked with other jewelry new or heirloom to build a story. 

Sarah: In my experience, birthstone jewelry is typically worn in remembrance of or to symbolize someone close to you and this aspect I like. For the most part, not a fan of zodiac or birthstone jewelry. 

Kelsey: I like birthstone jewelry, I think it's a subtle way to add color and sentiment to what you wear. 

Jenna: I think gemstones in general can be very meaningful. They are tiny treasures found in the earth! Looking into them, it feels like their beauty knows no bounds. 

Jenny: I don't think it particularly works or doesn't work but I do like that people have taken the time to put so much meaning behind all of these different stones. I guess if you believe it works it might!

Jessa: I think that, as with anything, there are no real rules on what you can pick out for yourself. Gemstones are supposed to resonate with you, so if you become fixated on a certain stone that isn't related to your birth month or zodiac sign, there must be some other facet of you that it's speaking to. 

If you had to pick a piece of jewelry with a birthstone or zodiac stone from BN’s collection to represent your birthday, what would it be?

Page: Our Sol Emerald Octagonal Ring

Ivy: Lash Linear Garnet Ring for sure

Ariel: Ray Fringe Emerald Studs 

Sarah: Ray Fringe Emerald Ring

Eternity Half Blue Green Sapphire Wide Band; Ray Fringe Emerald Ring

Kelsey: The Eternity Half Blue Green Sapphire Wide Band, close enough to my birthstone, right? 

Jenna: I think a cabochon carnelian would look amazing in the Sol Emerald Octagonal Ring setting!

Jenny: I think our Aira Oko Morganite Marquise Ring would be really beautiful with a bluish/green jasper. 

Jessa: Lash Linear Garnet Ring

THANKS, BN STAFF!

We hope it was helpful to get some different opinions on birthstones and zodiac stones. Ultimately, there are no real rules when it comes to choosing which stones you want to wear - but if you'd like some guidance, we're always here to brainstorm with you!