Gemlux Jewels — Birthstone Guide
What Is My Birthstone? Birthstone by Month Chart and Meanings
Tap your birth month to see your stone, what it means, and how it wears as jewelry.
Find Your Birthstone
↑ Choose a month to see your birthstone
January birthstone
Garnet
Deep red, also orange, green, pink-purple
“Protection and commitment” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)6.5-7.5
Wears best asGood for necklaces and earrings; use a bezel in rings.
February birthstone
Amethyst
Purple, from pale lilac to deep violet
“Calm and clarity” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)7
Wears best asWears well, but strong sunlight can fade some stones over years, so avoid leaving it in a sunny window.
March birthstone
Aquamarine
Pale blue to blue-green
“Courage and serenity” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)7.5-8
Wears best asDurable enough for everyday rings.
April birthstone
Diamond
Colorless; also fancy colors
“Strength and lasting love” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)10
Wears best asThe hardest gem, ideal for daily rings.
May birthstone
Emerald
Green, from yellowish to deep bluish green
“Renewal and growth” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)7.5-8
Wears best asHard, but often fractured inside, so it can chip. Choose protective settings.
June birthstone
Pearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite
White and cream pearls; shimmering moonstone; color-change alexandrite
“Purity, intuition and change” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)Pearl 2.5-4.5; moonstone 6-6.5; alexandrite 8.5
Wears best asPearl is soft and needs the most care. Put it on last and wipe it after wearing.
July birthstone
Ruby
Red, from pinkish to deep red
“Passion and vitality” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)9
Wears best asVery durable, suitable for everyday rings.
August birthstone
Peridot, Spinel, Sardonyx
Lime green; many colors; banded brown and red
“Warmth, joy and protection” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)Peridot 6.5-7; spinel 8; sardonyx 6.5-7
Wears best asSpinel is the toughest of the three. Peridot suits pendants and earrings better than daily rings.
September birthstone
Sapphire
Blue; also pink, yellow and other colors
“Wisdom and loyalty” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)9
Wears best asVery durable, a strong everyday ring stone.
October birthstone
Opal, Tourmaline
Opal shows play of color; tourmaline comes in many colors
“Creativity and hope” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)Opal 5.5-6.5; tourmaline 7-7.5
Wears best asOpal is delicate and can crack with heat or dryness. Tourmaline is the tougher choice for rings.
November birthstone
Topaz, Citrine
Golden, orange-yellow, honey
“Warmth and abundance” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)Topaz 8; citrine 7
Wears best asBoth wear well. Topaz can chip along a weak internal direction if struck hard.
December birthstone
Turquoise, Zircon, Tanzanite
Blue-green opaque turquoise; brilliant blue zircon; violet-blue tanzanite
“Good fortune and calm” in tradition
Hardness (Mohs)Turquoise 5-6; zircon 6.5-7.5; tanzanite 6.5-7
Wears best asTanzanite and turquoise are best in pendants and earrings. Zircon is brittle at the edges.
Your birthstone is the gemstone assigned to the month you were born. Use the picker above for a quick answer, or scan the chart and open any month below for color, meaning, hardness, wear and treatments.
Birthstone by Month
| Month | Birthstone | Color |
|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | Deep red, also orange, green, pink-purple |
| February | Amethyst | Purple, from pale lilac to deep violet |
| March | Aquamarine | Pale blue to blue-green |
| April | Diamond | Colorless; also fancy colors |
| May | Emerald | Green, from yellowish to deep bluish green |
| June | Pearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite | White and cream pearls; shimmering moonstone; color-change alexandrite |
| July | Ruby | Red, from pinkish to deep red |
| August | Peridot, Spinel, Sardonyx | Lime green; many colors; banded brown and red |
| September | Sapphire | Blue; also pink, yellow and other colors |
| October | Opal, Tourmaline | Opal shows play of color; tourmaline comes in many colors |
| November | Topaz, Citrine | Golden, orange-yellow, honey |
| December | Turquoise, Zircon, Tanzanite | Blue-green opaque turquoise; brilliant blue zircon; violet-blue tanzanite |
The modern US list traces back to a 1912 standardization by the American jewelry trade (now Jewelers of America). It has been revised since, including tanzanite for December in 2002 and spinel for August in 2016. UK and Canada lists are very similar but can differ slightly, and many jewelers show several stones for one month. If your month has more than one stone, choose the one you like best.
Birthstone vs Zodiac Stone
BirthstoneFollows the calendar month you were born. This is what most people mean by “birthstone jewelry.”
Zodiac stoneFollows your astrological sign, which changes partway through the month, so it can differ.
Birthstone Guide by Month
Tap a month to open it. Meanings are tradition and gift sentiment, not science; the wear notes are practical jewelry guidance.
JanuaryGarnet
- Color
- Deep red, also orange, green, pink-purple.
- Meaning
- Protection and commitment.
- Hardness
- 6.5-7.5 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Good for necklaces and earrings; use a bezel in rings.
- Good to know
- Garnet is the second-anniversary stone. Most garnet is untreated.
Related: January birthstone guide
FebruaryAmethyst
- Color
- Purple, from pale lilac to deep violet.
- Meaning
- Calm and clarity.
- Hardness
- 7 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Wears well, but strong sunlight can fade some stones over years, so avoid leaving it in a sunny window.
- Good to know
- Much amethyst on the market is heat-treated or lab-grown, so ask what you are buying.
MarchAquamarine
- Color
- Pale blue to blue-green.
- Meaning
- Courage and serenity.
- Hardness
- 7.5-8 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Durable enough for everyday rings.
- Good to know
- The name comes from the Latin for sea water. Heating to improve color is common and accepted when disclosed.
AprilDiamond
- Color
- Colorless; also fancy colors.
- Meaning
- Strength and lasting love.
- Hardness
- 10 (Mohs)
- Wear
- The hardest gem, ideal for daily rings.
- Good to know
- A lab-grown diamond is the same material as a mined one. See the April section below.
Related: lab-grown diamond jewelry
MayEmerald
- Color
- Green, from yellowish to deep bluish green.
- Meaning
- Renewal and growth.
- Hardness
- 7.5-8 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Hard, but often fractured inside, so it can chip. Choose protective settings.
- Good to know
- Most emeralds are oil-treated to improve clarity. This is normal, but it should be disclosed.
JunePearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite
- Color
- White and cream pearls; shimmering moonstone; color-change alexandrite.
- Meaning
- Purity, intuition and change.
- Hardness
- Pearl 2.5-4.5; moonstone 6-6.5; alexandrite 8.5 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Pearl is soft and needs the most care. Put it on last and wipe it after wearing.
- Good to know
- Natural alexandrite is very rare and costly. Many alexandrite pieces sold are lab-grown, which is fine if labeled.
JulyRuby
- Color
- Red, from pinkish to deep red.
- Meaning
- Passion and vitality.
- Hardness
- 9 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Very durable, suitable for everyday rings.
- Good to know
- Heat treatment is common. Fine untreated rubies are rare and priced accordingly.
AugustPeridot, Spinel, Sardonyx
- Color
- Lime green; many colors; banded brown and red.
- Meaning
- Warmth, joy and protection.
- Hardness
- Peridot 6.5-7; spinel 8; sardonyx 6.5-7 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Spinel is the toughest of the three. Peridot suits pendants and earrings better than daily rings.
- Good to know
- Spinel was added to the modern August list in 2016.
SeptemberSapphire
- Color
- Blue; also pink, yellow and other colors.
- Meaning
- Wisdom and loyalty.
- Hardness
- 9 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Very durable, a strong everyday ring stone.
- Good to know
- Heat treatment is common and accepted when disclosed.
OctoberOpal, Tourmaline
- Color
- Opal shows play of color; tourmaline comes in many colors.
- Meaning
- Creativity and hope.
- Hardness
- Opal 5.5-6.5; tourmaline 7-7.5 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Opal is delicate and can crack with heat or dryness. Tourmaline is the tougher choice for rings.
- Good to know
- If you want durability, tourmaline is the more practical October stone.
NovemberTopaz, Citrine
- Color
- Golden, orange-yellow, honey.
- Meaning
- Warmth and abundance.
- Hardness
- Topaz 8; citrine 7 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Both wear well. Topaz can chip along a weak internal direction if struck hard.
- Good to know
- Blue topaz is almost always treated. Much citrine is heat-treated amethyst.
DecemberTurquoise, Zircon, Tanzanite
- Color
- Blue-green opaque turquoise; brilliant blue zircon; violet-blue tanzanite.
- Meaning
- Good fortune and calm.
- Hardness
- Turquoise 5-6; zircon 6.5-7.5; tanzanite 6.5-7 (Mohs)
- Wear
- Tanzanite and turquoise are best in pendants and earrings. Zircon is brittle at the edges.
- Good to know
- Tanzanite was added in 2002 and is almost always heat-treated. Zircon is a natural gem, not cubic zirconia.
April Babies: Your Birthstone Can Be a Lab-Grown Diamond
April birthstone
If you were born in April, your birthstone is diamond, and a lab-grown diamond is a real diamond with the same physical and chemical properties as a mined one, usually at a lower price for the same size and quality. It must be disclosed as lab-grown.
Moissanite is not a birthstone, but it is a durable, budget-friendly diamond alternative. See diamond vs moissanite in sunlight.
How to Choose Birthstone Jewelry
- Confirm the stone. Check whether the person prefers the modern or an alternative stone for June, August, October, November or December.
- Match the piece to the wearer. If they use their hands a lot, a pendant or earrings are safer than a ring, especially for softer stones.
- Choose the metal. Warm gold and rose gold flatter red, orange and golden stones; silver and white metals suit blue, purple and colorless stones. Choose what they already wear.
- Ask what the stone really is. Natural, lab-grown, treated and imitation stones all exist. A seller should state which, in writing.
Birthstone Gift Ideas
For a birthdayA single-stone pendant in their month.
For a mother or grandmotherA piece with each child’s or grandchild’s stone.
For an anniversaryBoth partners’ stones, or your wedding month’s stone.
For a graduate or milestoneA pendant they will keep wearing for years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is my birthstone?
It depends on your birth month: January garnet, February amethyst, March aquamarine, April diamond, May emerald, June pearl, moonstone or alexandrite, July ruby, August peridot, spinel or sardonyx, September sapphire, October opal or tourmaline, November topaz or citrine, December turquoise, zircon or tanzanite.
What if my month has more than one birthstone?
Choose the one you prefer. If you want something durable for a daily ring, pick the harder stone, such as spinel for August or tourmaline for October.
Is a birthstone the same as a zodiac stone?
No. A birthstone follows your birth month. A zodiac stone follows your astrological sign, which changes partway through the month.
Can I wear someone else's birthstone?
Yes. Many people wear stones for children, a partner or a favorite color.
Are lab-grown stones real birthstones?
A lab-grown diamond, sapphire, ruby or emerald is the same gem as the natural stone, made in a lab, and it must be labeled as lab-grown.
Which birthstone is the hardest?
Diamond, the April birthstone, at 10 on the Mohs scale.
Do birthstones have healing powers?
No scientific evidence supports that. Meanings come from folklore and tradition, and many people simply find them personal and comforting.
Which birthstone is best for everyday rings?
Diamond, sapphire and ruby are the most durable. Softer stones like pearl, opal and turquoise are better in pendants and earrings.
Gemlux Jewels in USA makes fine jewelry with certified lab-grown diamonds and moissanite.
Shop Lab-Grown Diamonds
