Birthstones by month: traditional and modern list
The birthstone for each of the 12 months, traditional and modern, with what each is said to bring and where the list comes from.
Your birthstone depends on your month: garnet for January, amethyst for February, aquamarine for March, diamond for April, emerald for May, pearl or alexandrite for June, ruby for July, peridot for August, sapphire for September, opal or tourmaline for October, topaz or citrine for November, and turquoise, tanzanite or blue topaz for December. Several months have two lists, a traditional one and a modern one, and both are considered correct. The table shows them side by side.
Birthstones by month
| Month | Traditional | Modern | Said to bring |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | Garnet | Protection, friendship |
| February | Amethyst | Amethyst | Calm, clarity |
| March | Bloodstone | Aquamarine | Courage, serenity |
| April | Diamond | Diamond | Strength, lasting love |
| May | Emerald | Emerald | Rebirth, wisdom |
| June | Pearl, moonstone | Alexandrite | Purity, balance |
| July | Ruby | Ruby | Passion, vitality |
| August | Sardonyx | Peridot, spinel | Happiness, protection |
| September | Sapphire | Sapphire | Wisdom, loyalty |
| October | Opal | Tourmaline | Hope, creativity |
| November | Topaz | Citrine | Warmth, abundance |
| December | Turquoise, lapis lazuli | Tanzanite, zircon, blue topaz | Good fortune, success |
Where the list comes from
The idea of twelve stones goes back to the breastplate of the high priest described in the Book of Exodus, which was set with twelve gems for the twelve tribes of Israel. Early Christian writers linked those stones to the twelve apostles and then to the twelve months, and by the Renaissance it was fashionable in parts of Europe to own all twelve and wear each in its month. Wearing only the stone of your birth month is a more recent habit, usually traced to eighteenth-century Poland and popularised in the nineteenth century.
The "modern" list was standardised in 1912 by the American National Association of Jewelers, partly to replace stones that were rare or fragile with ones easier to sell: aquamarine took over from bloodstone in March, and alexandrite joined pearl in June. Later additions include tanzanite for December (2002) and spinel for August (2016). British and other national lists differ slightly, so if your family's tradition names another stone, it is probably not wrong, just older or from elsewhere.
Choosing and wearing a birthstone
- Durability matters. Diamond, sapphire and ruby handle daily wear; opal, pearl and turquoise scratch and lose water easily, so they suit earrings and pendants better than rings.
- Price varies enormously. Months with a modern alternative often have a far cheaper option: citrine instead of imperial topaz, blue topaz instead of tanzanite, spinel instead of a top ruby for July lookalikes.
- Treatments are normal. Most commercial citrine is heated amethyst, most blue topaz is irradiated, and many sapphires are heat-treated; a reputable jeweller will say so.
Common questions
Which list should I follow? Either; the modern list is what most jewellers mean by default. Do birthstones have powers? The qualities in the table are traditional associations, not demonstrated effects. Can I wear another month's stone? Of course; many people wear a child's or partner's birthstone.
Sources: biblical and early Christian references to the twelve stones, nineteenth- and twentieth-century jewellers' trade lists, and gemmological handbooks on durability and treatments.