Guide: Birthstones

Although dating back to biblical times (and in particular the Book of Exodus 28 and 39), the custom of wearing Birthstones in Europe probably first became popular in Poland in the 16th Century. By the 17th Century, gemstones had become firmly associated with specific months of the year. Wealthy members of European society would wear each months stone over the course of that month in order to be in harmony with the celestial spirits. As the months changed, the wearer hoped the stone would bring them the special properties associated with each particular celestial period. For instance, Garnet would bring the wearer tranquility, protect against fevers and also against harm during travel. Whilst Ruby would bring clarity of mind and protect against harm from natural causes. Ultimately this meant that each individual would have to invest in a set of twelve gemstones and an item of jewellery with which to wear them. By the 18th century, probably as a financial necessity, members of society began wearing only the gemstone that represented the actual month of their birth. Nowadays a Birthstone is usually offered as a gift to symbolise the qualities attributed to the month of birth of the recipient.

What Are The Twelve Birthstones By Month

For historical, national and commercial reasons there are actually more than twelve birthstones and the actual number depends on the Birthstone Chart that you choose to use. Below you will find the Official British Birthstone List and the Official American Birthstone List along with an indication of whether the birthstone bead or gemstone selection is a Traditional Birthstone, a Modern Birthstone or an Alternative Birthstone. Each entry comes with a brief description of the traditional Birthstone Meanings as well as Birthstones Colours Chart.

For a wider understanding of the gemstones included in the list of birthstones for each month of the year we have provided a link through to our Gemstones and MInerals Guide for each Birthstone. This gemstone glossary provides the physical characteristics of each stone along with colour variations, sources, history, purported therapeutic properties, and the traditional meanings of gemstones.

The Official British Birthstones List

Defined in 1937. (Source: The National Association of Goldsmiths)

	JANUARY BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Garnet Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Deep Red Representing – Eternity, Faith & Truth
	FEBRUARY BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Amethyst Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Purple Representing – Health, Luck & Wittiness
	MARCH BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Aquamarine Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Pale Blue Representing – Happiness & Understanding
	MARCH BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Bloodstone Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Dark Green & Red Representing – Happiness & Understanding
	APRIL BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Diamond Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White or Clear Representing – Eternity Courage & Health
	APRIL BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Rock Crystal Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White or Clear Representing – Eternity, Courage & Health
	MAY BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Emerald Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Green Representing – Fidelity, Goodness & Love
	MAY BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Chrysoprase Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Green Representing – Fidelity, Goodness & Love
	JUNE BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Pearl Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White Representing – Beauty, Nobility & Peace
	JUNE BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Moonstone Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White Representing – Beauty, Nobility & Peace
	JULY BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Ruby Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Red Representing – Enthusiasm, Love & Strength
	JULY BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Carnelian Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Red Representing – Enthusiasm, Love & Strength
	July BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Onyx Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Black Representing – Comfort & Relaxation
	AUGUST BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Peridot Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Pale Green Representing – Love, Peace & Success
	AUGUST BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Sardonyx Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White & Reddish Brown Representing – Love, Peace & Success
	SEPTEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Sapphire Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Deep Blue or Indigo Representing – Serenity & Truth
	SEPTEMBER BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Lapis Lazuli Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Deep Blue Representing – Serenity & Truth
	OCTOBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Opal Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Multi-coloured Representing – Health, Hope & Purity
	OCTOBER BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Tourmaline Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Multi-coloured Representing – Health, Hope & Purity
	NOVEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Topaz Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Yellow Representing – Courage, Sincerity & Wisdom
	NOVEMBER BIRTHSTONES – ALTERNATIVE Citrine Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Yellow Representing – Courage, Sincerity & Wisdom
	DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Tanzanite Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Blue Representing – Happiness, Health & Prosperity
	DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Turquoise Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Blue Representing – Happiness, Love & Luck

The Official American Birthstones List

In 1912, in an effort to standardise Birthstones, the organisations associated with the Jewelers of America officially adopted a list of gemstones, detailed as Traditional in the table below. The list was not changed until 1952 when a nationwide survey of men’s buying preferences showed that the available choice between June and December was not being followed and that a new buying pattern had emerged. These changes are detailed as Modernin the table below. More recently two attempts were made to add Tanzanite as December’s stone. Although December already had two stones representing it the American Gem Trade Association announced in 2002 that they had added tanzanite to December’s birthstone list. This addition is also detailed as Modern. Later in 2006 the Tanzanite cartel decided that a new marketing strategy would help their business and announced that Tanzanite would be a birthstone not just for a particular month of the year but should be presented on the birth of each child, no matter which month they were born in. The Jewelers of America accepted the idea hoping it would help increase sales of birthstone jewellery. This list is currently the most widely used in the United States and many other locations including the Far East and Australia. (List Source: The American National Association of Jewelers)

	JANUARY BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Garnet Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Deep Red Representing – Health, Perseverance, Prosperity & Strength
	FEBRUARY BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Amethyst Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Purple Representing – Security, Sobriety, Spirituality & Wisdom
	MARCH BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Aquamarine Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Pale Blue Representing – Beauty, Happiness, Honesty & Loyalty
	MARCH BIRTHSTONES – MODERN Bloodstone Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Dark Green & Red Representing – Endurance
	APRIL BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Diamond Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White or Clear Representing – Clarity, Eternal Love, Invincibility & Purity
	MAY BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Emerald Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Green Representing – Foresight, Patience & Understanding
	JUNE BIRTHSTONES – MODERN Alexandrite Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Green Representing – Balance, Confidence & Joy
	JUNE BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Moonstone Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White Representing – Balance, Good Fortune & Passion
	JUNE BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Pearl Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White Representing – Balance, Confidence & Joy
	JULY BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Ruby Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Red Representing – Love, Integrity, Passion, Promise & Success
	AUGUST BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Peridot Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Pale Green Representing – Dignity, Fame, Protection & Success
	AUGUST BIRTHSTONES – MODERN Sardonyx Birthstone Birthstone Colour – White & Reddish Brown Representing – Relaxation & Security
	SEPTEMBER BIRTHSTONES – MODERN Sapphire Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Deep Blue or Indigo Representing – Commitment, Loyalty, Sincerity & Truth
	OCTOBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Opal Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Multi-coloured Representing – Confidence, Faith & Hope
	OCTOBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Tourmaline Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Multi-coloured Representing – Balance, Endurance & Safety
	NOVEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Yellow Topaz Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Yellow Representing – Courage, Strength & Wisdom
	NOVEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Citrine Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Yellow Representing – Cheerfulness, Fidelity, Health, Hope & Youth
	DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Tanzanite Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Blue Representing – Contentment & Understanding
	DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES – MODERN Zircon Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Blue Representing – Honour, Wealth & Wisdom
	DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Turquoise Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Blue Representing – Happiness, Love & Luck
	DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES – TRADITIONAL Blue Topaz Birthstone Birthstone Colour – Blue Representing – Happiness, Love & Luck

If that is not enough choice there are also Birthstone lists for the hour, day of the week, and season. However, our listings end with a Day of the Week Birthstone list which identifies a Birthstones for the day of a persons birth

Day of the Week Birthstone List

	MONDAY BIRTHSTONES Pearl Birthstone
	TUESDAY BIRTHSTONES Ruby Birthstone
	WEDNESDAY BIRTHSTONES Amethyst Birthstone
	THURSDAY BIRTHSTONES Sapphire Birthstone
	FRIDAY BIRTHSTONES Carnelian Birthstone
	SATURDAY BIRTHSTONES Turquoise Birthstone
	SUNDAY BIRTHSTONES Topaz Birthstone

Further Reading – History of Birthstones

The Curious Lore of Precious Stones by George Frederick Kunz . . . a compendium of all the powers that have been associated with gemstones through the ages.

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