The modern birthstones by month are garnet for January, amethyst for February, aquamarine and bloodstone for March, diamond for April, emerald for May, pearl, moonstone and alexandrite for June, ruby for July, peridot, spinel and sardonyx for August, sapphire for September, opal and tourmaline for October, topaz and citrine for November, and turquoise, zircon and tanzanite for December. This list was first drawn up by American jewelers in 1912 and has been added to since. Older traditions give different stones for several months, so you have some choice.
Birthstone chart: modern and traditional
| Month | Modern birthstones | Older or alternative stones | Typical color |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | Deep red | |
| February | Amethyst | Hyacinth, pearl | Purple |
| March | Aquamarine, bloodstone | Jasper | Pale blue; dark green with red flecks |
| April | Diamond | Sapphire | Colorless |
| May | Emerald | Agate, chrysoprase | Green |
| June | Pearl, moonstone, alexandrite | Cat's eye, turquoise, agate | White; color-changing |
| July | Ruby | Onyx, turquoise, carnelian | Red |
| August | Peridot, spinel, sardonyx | Carnelian, moonstone, topaz | Yellow-green; many spinel colors |
| September | Sapphire | Chrysolite, lapis lazuli | Blue |
| October | Opal, tourmaline | Aquamarine | Play of color; pink |
| November | Topaz, citrine | Pearl | Golden yellow |
| December | Turquoise, zircon, tanzanite | Bloodstone, ruby, lapis lazuli | Blue |
The "older" column gathers stones from earlier European lists and from the British list, which differs from the American one in a few months. Use whichever you prefer: no list is more official than your own taste.
Where the modern birthstone list came from
The idea that each month has a stone is old, but the list most people use today is surprisingly recent.
- The ancient roots. The Book of Exodus describes a breastplate for the high priest set with twelve stones. In the first century, the historian Josephus linked those twelve stones with the twelve months and the twelve signs of the zodiac. Later Christian writers, including St Jerome, connected them with the twelve foundation stones of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation.
- One stone for your month. Wearing a single stone for your birth month is a later custom. Writers disagree on where it began: the gem scholar George Frederick Kunz placed it in eighteenth-century Poland, while others date it to sixteenth-century Germany.
- 1912. In August 1912, the National Association of Jewelers in the United States, now Jewelers of America, met in Kansas City and adopted a standard list. Critics have called it salesmanship, and it's fair to say it owed more to the jewelry trade than to the ancient sources.
- Later changes. In 1952 the Jewelry Industry Council of America added alexandrite for June, citrine for November and pink tourmaline for October, and swapped zircon in for lapis lazuli in December. In 2002 the American Gem Trade Association added tanzanite for December, and in 2016 that association and Jewelers of America added spinel for August.
- Britain. The National Association of Goldsmiths set its own standard list in 1937, which is why British lists differ slightly in some months.
Month by month: meanings and lore
The meanings below are traditional symbolism. Birthstones don't bring luck or health in any measurable way, but they make lovely personal symbols.
January: garnet
Usually deep red. The name is commonly traced to the Latin for pomegranate, after the seed-like crystals. Associated with loyalty and constancy.
February: amethyst
Purple quartz. Its Greek name means "not intoxicated," from an old belief that it guarded against drunkenness. Associated with calm and clear judgment.
March: aquamarine and bloodstone
Aquamarine's name means "sea water," and it has long been linked with sailors and the sea. Bloodstone is dark green chalcedony with red spots, associated with courage.
April: diamond
The hardest natural substance, scoring 10 on the Mohs scratch scale. That durability is why it became the stone of lasting commitment.
May: emerald
Green beryl, associated with spring, renewal and Venus. Most emeralds are treated with oil or resin to improve clarity, which affects how you clean them.
June: pearl, moonstone and alexandrite
Pearls are organic gems grown by mollusks, associated with purity and the Moon. Moonstone has a soft floating sheen. Alexandrite changes from green in daylight to red under warm indoor light.
July: ruby
Red corundum, the same mineral as sapphire. Associated with passion, vitality and the Sun.
August: peridot, spinel and sardonyx
Peridot is a bright yellow-green gem. Spinel comes in many colors and was long mistaken for ruby; the famous "Black Prince's Ruby" in Britain's Imperial State Crown is actually a red spinel. Sardonyx is a banded stone often carved into cameos.
September: sapphire
Corundum in every color except red, though blue is classic. Associated with truth, wisdom and steadiness.
October: opal and tourmaline
Opal shows flashes of shifting color called play of color. Tourmaline comes in more colors than almost any other gem, with pink the October favorite.
November: topaz and citrine
Golden stones for an autumn month. Topaz is associated with warmth and generosity; citrine, a yellow quartz, with cheerfulness. Much citrine is heat-treated amethyst.
December: turquoise, zircon and tanzanite
Turquoise has been prized for thousands of years in places from Persia to the American Southwest. Zircon is a natural gem, not to be confused with cubic zirconia, a lab-made diamond substitute. Tanzanite is a blue-violet stone found commercially in only one area of northern Tanzania.
How to care for your birthstone
Not every birthstone survives a sink full of hot water. A quick guide:
- Don't soak pearls, opals or turquoise. They're porous or water-sensitive. Wipe them with a soft, barely damp cloth and dry them flat. Strung pearls should never be submerged, because the silk thread weakens.
- Keep treated emeralds away from ultrasonic and steam cleaners, heat and solvents. Ask a jeweler before using either on any colored stone.
- Put pearls on last. Perfume, hairspray and lotion dull them, so dress first and add pearls at the end.
- Store stones separately. Diamond, ruby and sapphire will scratch softer stones such as opal, pearl and turquoise if they rattle around together.
- Hard stones are easier. Diamond, ruby and sapphire can usually be cleaned with warm soapy water and a soft brush, unless they've been treated or are set with softer stones.
If you also keep crystals, our guide on how to cleanse crystals covers which stones need extra care.
Choosing between two or three stones
Six months have more than one modern birthstone. A few ways to decide:
- For everyday rings and bracelets, choose the harder stone. In June, alexandrite and moonstone stand up to knocks better than pearl; in October, tourmaline is tougher than opal.
- For budget, the alternatives are often kinder. Bloodstone costs far less than fine aquamarine, and citrine far less than fine topaz.
- For color, simply pick the one you'd wear.
- For a zodiac link, some people prefer the stone tied to their sign instead. Our guide to crystals for each zodiac sign lists those, and your zodiac sign profile shows the traits each stone is meant to echo.
A birthstone also makes a thoughtful object for a birthday ritual: hold it while you write about the year ahead.
Questions readers ask
Why does my month have more than one birthstone?
Because the official list has been added to over the years. Jewelers added alternatives in 1952, and newer gems such as tanzanite and spinel joined in 2002 and 2016. June, August and December now have three stones each.
What is the difference between a birthstone and a zodiac stone?
Birthstones follow the calendar month you were born in. Zodiac stones follow your sign, which runs from about the twentieth of one month to the twentieth of the next. Your birth chart shows your exact sign if you were born near a boundary.
Is it bad luck to wear someone else's birthstone?
No. That's a superstition with no basis. Wear any stone you like; birthstones are a tradition, not a rule.
Which birthstones are the most durable?
Diamond is the hardest, followed by ruby and sapphire. Pearl, opal and turquoise are the most delicate and suit earrings and pendants better than rings worn every day.
