Do gemstones really mean something or is all just spiritual nonsense?

Since ancient times gemstones were admired in different cultures all around the world. They were said to have ability of protecting its' owner from evil eye, bring him luck, health, money or something else. In some cultures, especially in the east, gemstones are often associated with zodiac signs, which means that for every zodiac sign there is a gemstone that suits the bearer of the sign the best.

Let's see which gemstones are said to be talismans to you according to your zodiac sign.
Capricorn - Ruby
Aquarius - Garnet
Pisces - Amethyst
Aries - Bloodstone
Taurus - Sapphire
Gemini - Agate
Cancer - Emerald
Leo - Onyx
Virgo - Carnelian
Libra - Chrysolite
Scorpio - Beryl
Saggitarius - Topaz

As you can see, talisman gemstones are very different, and there seem to be no particular pattern in them. Some precious stones are included (ruby, sapphire and emerald). The rest of the list is made up of semi-precious stones.

The question is, how the gemstones were selected and do they really acquire any special properties when worn by a person who was born in the according month?

Another way of matching birthdate and gemstone is according to the theory of birthstones. Some say that this list evolved from stones mentioned in the Bible, the other assume that stones represent the Twelve Apostles.

Modern list of birthstones, which was adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers is represented by the following stones:

January - Garnet
February - Amethyst
March - Aquamarine
April - Diamond
May - Emerald
June - Pearl
July - Ruby
August - Peridot
September - Sapphire
October -Opal
November - Citrine
December - Blue Topaz

It's clear that some of the included stones correspond with the zodiac sign list, which makes us think there were some interconnections between the cultures. In the birthstone list all four precious stones are included (diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire), semi-precious stones as well as pearl, which has a completely different organic origin in comparison to the rest of the gemstones.

Wearing a birthstone is said to bring luck to the owner and protect from the evil. In reality, it just symbolizes the birth month. Jewelry with a birthstone can become a great birthday present for a woman of any age, as it has this delicate personal touch to it.

Of course, it's everybody's personal choice to believe in the power of birthstones or not, but I guess that if one truly believes in the power of something, then it also can become true.