Birthstones by Month: Colors, Meanings and Gift Ideas

A birthstone is one of the easiest ways to make a piece of jewelry feel like it belongs to someone. It works for a baby's first bracelet, a mother's ring with one stone per kid, or a small pendant for a friend who has everything. The catch is that some birthstones are tough enough for daily wear and some really aren't. Here's the full list by month, plus what to know before you buy.

• The modern U.S. birthstone list dates to 1912, when the national jewelers' association standardized it. It has been updated a few times since.
• Several months have more than one stone, so you can pick by color, budget or durability.
• Sapphire, ruby and diamond hold up well in rings. Opal, pearl and turquoise are better in earrings and pendants.
• Lab-created versions of ruby, sapphire and emerald are real gemstones, and they cost much less.

Birthstones by Month

• January: Garnet. It's usually a deep wine red, but garnet also comes in orange and green. It's affordable and wears well.
• February: Amethyst. It ranges from soft lilac to dark grape purple. It's a quartz, so it's hard enough for rings, though bright sun can fade it over time.
• March: Aquamarine or Bloodstone. Aquamarine is the pale, sea-blue favorite. Bloodstone is dark green with red flecks and turns up more in men's jewelry.
• April: Diamond. It's the hardest natural material, so it handles every day without complaint. White sapphire and lab-grown diamond are lower-cost stand-ins.
• May: Emerald. A rich green. Most emeralds have natural inclusions, so give them a protective setting and skip ultrasonic cleaners.
• June: Pearl, Moonstone or Alexandrite. June has the widest choice. Pearls and moonstone are soft and glowy. Alexandrite shifts from green in daylight to purplish red under lamplight.
• July: Ruby. A true red that's second only to diamond in hardness, which makes it a great pick for a ring worn every day.
• August: Peridot, Spinel or Sardonyx. Peridot is a bright lime green. Spinel comes in nearly every color and is undervalued for how durable it is.
• September: Sapphire. Most people picture blue, but sapphire also comes in pink, yellow and green. It's tough enough for engagement rings.
• October: Opal or Tourmaline. Opal shows flashes of rainbow color but is delicate. Pink tourmaline is the sturdier choice for rings.
• November: Topaz or Citrine. Both are warm golden stones. Citrine is the budget-friendly one. Topaz also comes in popular sky and London blue shades.
• December: Turquoise, Tanzanite, Zircon or Blue Topaz. All four are blue, from the opaque robin's-egg of turquoise to the violet-blue of tanzanite.

Which Birthstones Work for Everyday Rings?

Gem hardness is measured on the Mohs scale from 1 to 10. For a ring that bumps into desks, car doors and kitchen counters, aim for 7 or higher.

• Great for rings (8 to 10): diamond, ruby, sapphire, alexandrite, spinel, topaz.
• Fine with some care (7 to 7.5): garnet, amethyst, citrine, aquamarine, tourmaline, emerald (which is hard but brittle).
• Better in earrings or pendants: opal, pearl, moonstone, turquoise, tanzanite and peridot. If you want one of these in a ring, choose a bezel setting that wraps the stone in metal.

Gift Ideas Built Around a Birthstone

• A family ring or stacking set: one thin band per child or grandchild, each with that person's stone.
• A single-stone pendant: a small solitaire on a 16- or 18-inch chain is easy to wear daily and easy to layer.
• Studs: a pair of 4 to 5 mm birthstone studs makes a good first piece of real jewelry for a teen.
• An anniversary twist: pair both partners' stones side by side in a toi et moi ring.

If you're not sure of someone's birth month or they don't love their stone's color, go by their favorite color instead. Nobody has to stick to the chart.

Caring for Birthstone Jewelry

• Clean harder stones like sapphire, ruby and diamond with warm water, a drop of mild dish soap and a soft toothbrush.
• Wipe softer or porous stones, like opal, pearl and turquoise, with a damp cloth only. Never soak them.
• Store pieces apart so diamonds and sapphires don't scratch softer gems.
• Have prongs checked once a year, especially on rings you wear every day.

Shop Birthstone Jewelry

Looking for a stone that matches a birthday? Browse our rings for stackable bands and solitaires, our earrings for studs and drops, or our pendants for a gift that's easy to wear every day.

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