Birthstones by Month: Complete January–December Birthstone Guide

 

Birthstones are gemstones traditionally associated with the month in which a person was born. January is garnet, February is amethyst, April is diamond, May is emerald, July is ruby and September is sapphire, while several other months have two or three widely recognized birthstone options. Lists can vary slightly by tradition and period, so this guide primarily follows GIA's current birthstone guide.

 

Birthstones by Month at a Glance

Month	Birthstone(s)	Typical Color or Feature
January	Garnet	Famous for red, but available in many colors
February	Amethyst	Purple
March	Aquamarine, Bloodstone	Blue to greenish blue / dark green with colored spots
April	Diamond	Colorless is classic; fancy colors also occur
May	Emerald	Green to bluish green
June	Pearl, Alexandrite, Moonstone	Pearl colors / color change / moon-like sheen
July	Ruby	Red
August	Peridot, Spinel, Sardonyx	Green / many colors / banded appearance
September	Sapphire	Blue is classic; fancy colors also occur
October	Opal, Tourmaline	Play-of-color / wide color range
November	Topaz, Citrine	Yellow, orange and golden tones are common
December	Turquoise, Tanzanite, Zircon	Blue-green / blue-violet / blue and other colors

 

GIA's current guide recognizes aquamarine and bloodstone for March; pearl, alexandrite and moonstone for June; peridot, spinel and sardonyx for August; opal and tourmaline for October; topaz and citrine for November; and turquoise, tanzanite and zircon for December.

 

What Is a Birthstone?

A birthstone is a gemstone associated with a person's birth month through jewelry and cultural tradition.

Different birthstone lists have existed across time and cultures. In the United States, the modern jewelry-industry list traces back to 1912, when it was established by the American National Retail Jewelers Association, the organization that later became Jewelers of America.

Some months later gained additional birthstone options as jewelry traditions and the gemstone market evolved.

This is why some months have one principal birthstone while others have two or three.

Having several recognized birthstones does not mean that only one is “real.”

The options can reflect different periods and traditions.

 

Is a Birthstone the Same as a “Guardian Stone”?

Not exactly.

In everyday language, birthstones are sometimes called guardian stones or lucky stones.

However:

Birthstone has a relatively clear month-based jewelry tradition.

Guardian stone is a broader symbolic idea that may come from astrology, religion, local culture or personal preference.

If your question is:

“What is my recognized birthstone?”

your birth month is the clearest place to start.

If you simply want a gemstone that feels personally meaningful, you do not have to limit yourself to the month-based list.

 

January Birthstone: Garnet

January's birthstone is garnet.

Although garnet is most strongly associated with deep red, garnets occur in an unusually wide range of colors including orange, yellow, purple and green, with some varieties even showing color change.

Throughout history, garnet has been associated symbolically with protection, friendship and happiness.

These associations are part of gemstone lore rather than proven medical or supernatural effects.

 

February Birthstone: Amethyst

February's birthstone is amethyst, the purple variety of quartz.

Its color can range from pale violet to deep purple.

Ancient Greek traditions connected amethyst with remaining clear-headed and avoiding drunkenness, which later contributed to symbolic associations with calm and clarity. These stories are historical gemstone lore rather than medical claims.

 

March Birthstones: Aquamarine & Bloodstone

March has two recognized birthstones:

Aquamarine
Bloodstone

Aquamarine is the blue to greenish-blue variety of beryl, with a name derived from Latin words associated with seawater.

Bloodstone is typically dark green with red, yellow or white spots.

GIA's current guide recognizes both as March birthstones.

For a fresh blue look, aquamarine is the obvious choice. For something darker and more patterned, bloodstone offers a very different style.

 

April Birthstone: Diamond

April's birthstone is diamond.

Diamond is famous for its hardness and ranks 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it the hardest naturally occurring mineral used as a gemstone.

Colorless diamond is the classic image, although diamonds can also occur naturally in fancy colors including yellow, pink and blue.

Diamond has long been associated with endurance and commitment, which also helps explain its popularity in engagement and commemorative jewelry.

 

May Birthstone: Emerald

May's birthstone is emerald.

Emerald is the green to bluish-green variety of beryl and is one of the world's best-known green gemstones.

It is traditionally associated with spring, renewal and vitality.

Natural emeralds also commonly contain inclusions, so an emerald should not be judged solely by whether it looks completely inclusion-free.

Color, transparency, cut, inclusions and treatments all matter when evaluating an emerald.

 

June Birthstones: Pearl, Alexandrite & Moonstone

June has three recognized birthstones:

Pearl
Alexandrite
Moonstone

Pearl

Pearls differ from most mineral gemstones because they form inside living mollusks. Most pearls in today's jewelry market are cultured rather than naturally formed without human intervention.

Pearls are often associated with elegance, purity and wisdom.

Alexandrite

Alexandrite is famous for its color-change phenomenon.

Fine examples can appear green to bluish green in daylight or fluorescent light and red to purplish red under incandescent light.

Moonstone

Moonstone is known for its soft, floating optical glow.

It offers a more understated alternative for people who want a June birthstone without choosing pearl.

 

July Birthstone: Ruby

July's birthstone is ruby.

Ruby belongs to the corundum family and is defined by its red color.

Historically, ruby has been associated with courage, strength, passion and love. GIA records ancient beliefs that ruby could bring strength and courage in battle, but these should be understood as historical lore.

 

August Birthstones: Peridot, Spinel & Sardonyx

August has three birthstones:

Peridot
Spinel
Sardonyx

Peridot is best known for yellowish-green to green colors.

Spinel occurs in a wide palette including red, pink, orange, purple and blue.

Sardonyx has a banded appearance, giving it a very different look from transparent faceted gemstones.

August-born shoppers therefore do not have to limit themselves to green jewelry.

 

September Birthstone: Sapphire

September's birthstone is sapphire.

Blue is the most familiar sapphire color, but sapphire can occur in many colors. Red corundum is classified separately as ruby.

This means September birthstone jewelry can also feature pink, yellow and other fancy-color sapphires.

Sapphire has traditionally been associated with loyalty, wisdom and lasting relationships.

 

October Birthstones: Opal & Tourmaline

October has two colorful birthstone options:

Opal
Tourmaline

Some opals display play-of-color, showing multiple spectral colors as the stone moves.

Tourmaline occurs in an exceptionally wide range of colors. Green-and-pink crystals are commonly known as watermelon tourmaline.

October therefore does not have one required birthstone color.

 

November Birthstones: Topaz & Citrine

November has two main birthstones:

Topaz
Citrine

Citrine is the yellow to orangy variety of quartz.

Topaz can occur in golden tones but also in blue, pink and other colors.

So the idea that November birthstone jewelry must always be orange is an oversimplification.

 

December Birthstones: Turquoise, Tanzanite & Zircon

December's widely recognized birthstones are:

Turquoise
Tanzanite
Zircon

Turquoise is famous for blue to greenish-blue colors.

Tanzanite typically shows blue to violet-blue hues and is associated with a geographically restricted source area in northern Tanzania.

Zircon occurs naturally in several colors, with blue zircon being a popular December choice.

 

Is Blue Topaz a December Birthstone?

Some commercial birthstone charts include blue topaz for December.

However, the current GIA and Jewelers of America lists identify turquoise, tanzanite and zircon/blue zircon as December birthstones rather than blue topaz.

If you want to follow the current major jewelry-industry guides, those three are the clearer choices.

 

Why Do Some Months Have More Than One Birthstone?

Birthstone lists have changed over time.

GIA notes that alternative birthstones have also been added because some gems were rare, expensive or less popular, giving consumers more practical choices.

For example, someone born in June might choose:

Pearl for a classic look
Alexandrite for color change
Moonstone for a softer optical glow

There is no need to search for one “only correct” option.

 

Do Birthstones Really Have Healing Powers or Energy?

Birthstones have a long history of mythology, astrology and symbolic meaning.

Historic traditions claimed that certain gems could prevent drunkenness, cure illnesses or provide courage.

Today, these ideas should be understood as myths, folklore and cultural beliefs, not proven medical effects.

GIA itself describes the many claimed birthstone powers and attributes as myths and legends.

Birthstone jewelry is better understood as a form of:

personal symbolism, birthday celebration, color preference and jewelry tradition.

 

Is There an Official Zodiac Birthstone List?

There is no single globally standardized zodiac-birthstone list comparable to the modern month-based birthstone system.

Different astrological and cultural traditions associate different gemstones with the same zodiac signs.

GIA and Jewelers of America's main current consumer birthstone guides are organized around birth months, not one universal 12-sign gemstone system. This conclusion is based on their current published guides.

Zodiac stones can still be a fun symbolic way to choose jewelry, but they should not be presented as one universally authoritative chart.

 

Are There Official Birthstones for Each Day of the Week?

There is likewise no single global jewelry-industry standard assigning one gemstone to each weekday.

Sunday/Sun, Monday/Moon and planetary gemstone systems come from different cultural and astrological traditions.

They can be used as inspiration, but they should be distinguished from the more standardized birth-month system.

 

How Do You Choose Between Multiple Birthstones?

 

Choose by Color

You do not have to choose the oldest or most traditional option.

October, for example, offers opal and many different colors of tourmaline, while December offers turquoise, tanzanite and zircon.

 

Choose by How You Will Wear It

Rings experience more knocks and abrasion than many earrings or necklaces.

If you plan to wear birthstone jewelry frequently, consider the gemstone's durability and care requirements.

 

Choose by Symbolism

Historical gemstone stories can make jewelry feel more personal.

However, symbolic meanings vary by culture and do not have one universally correct interpretation.

 

Choose by Jewelry Design

Personalization can also come from:

birth month, birthstone color, initials, birth flowers, engraving or the overall design.

The gemstone itself is only one part of meaningful birthday jewelry.

 

Does “Birthstone Jewelry” Always Use a Natural Gemstone?

No. Always check the individual product description.

“Birthstone jewelry” can sometimes describe a month or color-inspired design, rather than guaranteeing that the piece contains a naturally mined example of the corresponding gemstone.

MONI Jewellery currently has a Birth Stone collection that includes birthstone earrings, necklaces and bracelets. The current MB033 925 Silver Birthstone Bracelet product page lists its material as 18K Gold Vermeil with MONI Diamond Simulants. You should therefore rely on the actual product material description rather than assuming that a piece labeled “Birthstone” contains natural ruby, sapphire, peridot or another mined gemstone.

A useful distinction is:

Birthstone concept = the gemstone traditionally associated with a month

Birthstone jewelry = jewelry designed around a month or birthstone theme

Whether the actual stone is natural, synthetic, simulated or another decorative material should be confirmed from the product details.

 

How Do You Choose MONI Jewellery Birthstone Pieces?

MONI Jewellery currently has a dedicated Birth Stone collection featuring 925 silver birthstone earrings, a necklace, a bracelet and birth-flower rings.

For birthday gifts, you can choose in three ways:

By birth month
Choose a birthstone color or birth-flower design associated with the recipient's month.

By jewelry type
Consider whether the person usually wears earrings, necklaces, bracelets or rings.

By actual material
Read the individual product page for sterling silver, Gold Vermeil, simulated stones and other specifications.

Materials and designs can vary between MONI products, so the latest individual product page should always take priority.

Explore: MONI Birth Stone Collection

 

7 Things to Check Before Buying Birthstone Jewelry

• Confirm the birthstone for the month. Some months have two or three recognized choices.

• Know which birthstone list you are following. Historical traditions can differ.

• Do not treat one zodiac-stone chart as universal. Zodiac associations vary.

• Check the actual stone used in the jewelry. A Birthstone product name does not automatically guarantee a natural gemstone.

• Distinguish natural, synthetic and simulated stones. Use the complete material description.

• Consider how and where the jewelry will be worn. Gemstones differ in durability and care needs.

• Treat symbolic meanings as personal stories, not health claims.

Birthstone FAQ

 

What are the birthstones for January through December?

January: garnet; February: amethyst; March: aquamarine and bloodstone; April: diamond; May: emerald; June: pearl, alexandrite and moonstone; July: ruby; August: peridot, spinel and sardonyx; September: sapphire; October: opal and tourmaline; November: topaz and citrine; December: turquoise, tanzanite and zircon.

 

Why do some months have more than one birthstone?

Birthstone lists evolved over time, and additional choices have been introduced partly because of gemstone rarity, pricing and popularity.

 

Is June's birthstone pearl or moonstone?

Both. GIA currently recognizes pearl, alexandrite and moonstone as June birthstones.

 

Is October's birthstone opal or tourmaline?

Both are recognized October birthstones.

 

Is November's birthstone topaz or citrine?

Both are widely recognized November birthstones.

 

What is the December birthstone?

GIA's current guide lists turquoise, tanzanite and zircon for December.

 

Is blue topaz a December birthstone?

Some commercial charts use it, but the current GIA and Jewelers of America lists name turquoise, tanzanite and zircon/blue zircon for December.

 

Are zodiac stones the same as monthly birthstones?

Not exactly. Monthly birthstones have a more standardized modern jewelry-industry tradition, while zodiac gemstone associations vary between cultural and astrological systems.

 

Do I have to wear the birthstone for my own month?

No. Birthstones are a jewelry tradition and a form of personalization. You can also choose by color, design, symbolism or simply personal preference.

 

Can birthstones bring luck or improve health?

Stories about gemstone powers are part of historical mythology and cultural belief rather than established medical evidence.

 

Does birthstone jewelry always contain a natural gemstone?

No. Birthstone can describe the design theme or color. Always check whether the actual stone is natural, synthetic, simulated or another decorative material.

 

 

 

References: Gemological Institute of America (GIA); Jewelers of America; MONI Jewellery

This article provides general information about birthstones, jewelry traditions and buying considerations. Birthstone meanings, guardian-stone associations and energy claims come from historical and cultural traditions and should not be interpreted as proven medical or health effects. The stones used in individual products may be natural, synthetic, simulated or another jewelry material; always refer to the latest individual product description.