Birthstones by Month

Birthstones

Each month of the year has a gemstone as its patron saint. Some months can take advantage of the power of two and even three gems. Birthstones are able to affect a person’s health, emotions, and, believe it or not, change his or her personality. Read further to find out which stones favor you.


JANUARY BIRTHSTONE GARNET

Garnet opens a parade of birthstones.

Birthstones by month, January Birthstone, Garnet

January Birthstone Meaning

Garnet is known since ancient times. Its modern name derives from Latin ‘granatum’ meaning seed or pomegranate seed. Indeed, fiery red garnets look akin to juicy pomegranates.

Garnets are an extensive group of minerals. The stone’s most valuable varieties include golden-orange spessartine, pink Malaya garnet, cherry rhodolite, green demantoid and grossular, star garnets, and some others. As a January birthstone, only pyrope and almandine garnets prized for their deep red color will fit the bill. As a rule, garnet does not undergo refinement so it shouldn’t be hard to find a natural stone.

January Birthstone Meaning

January Birthstone Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

The stone of love and passion, garnet is the exact opposite of January, the coldest month of the year. But opposites attract, that’s why the gem is ideal for those born in the middle of winter. Its strong energy is able to bring friendship, loyalty, sincerity, and health. Along with that, garnet talismans protect their wearers from nightmares and poisons. They guide in the dark, relieve sadness, return a positive attitude, and restore faith in oneself. Garnet is a guardian stone. Warriors used to embellish their clothes and weapons with the red mineral believing that it would help avoid injuries and death.

January Birthstone Garnet, Properties


FEBRUARY BIRTHSTONE AMETHYST

Enchanting amethyst reigns in February.

Birthstones by month, February Birthstone, amethyst

February Birthstone Meaning

Amethyst is a variety of quartz. Natural stones display numerous shades of purple, from light and pale to deep, almost black. The color of the stone depends on its chemical composition and the place of mining. For example, Brazil provides clear and pure specimens delivering rich purple hues. When it comes to birthstone functions, any shade of purple will do. However, you should remember that clear and vibrant jewels lend the most pronounced qualities of a talisman.

The name of the mineral comes from the ancient Greek language, where it meant ‘non-intoxicating’. The stone was dubbed like this because our ancestors believed that it could protect against intoxication and adverse emotions. In the Middle Ages, amethyst was given to loved ones to strip them of sadness and harmful thoughts.

February Birthstone Meaning

February Birthstone Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Amethyst is a stone of sincerity, calmness, pacification, and serenity. The stone promotes vigilance and prudence as well as protects against hasty and thoughtless actions. Moreover, since amethyst is able to prevent intoxication, especially alcoholic, it is good to carry it with you to maintain sobriety and clarity of mind. A person who owns amethyst jewelry can benefit from happiness and good luck in business. Along with that, the mineral helps fulfill one’s potential and fully develop talents and skills. Amethysts are widely used in lithotherapy and cosmetology since they can improve the condition of the skin and hair.

February Birthstone Amethyst Properties


MARCH BIRTHSTONE AQUAMARINE

March birthstone aquamarine is as cool as the first month of spring.

Birthstones by month, March Birthstone, Aquamarine

March Birthstone Meaning

The name of the stone speaks for itself. Aquamarine exhibits a deep yet gentle blue color that resembles seawater. Its name consists of two Latin words meaning water (aqua) and sea (mare). Aquamarine belongs to the beryl family and, on a par with emerald, it is considered one of the most valuable minerals in its class.

March birthstone contains many inclusions as well as layers of growth, and they give the gem ethereal beauty. If you are offered completely pure aquamarine, you need to be very careful since such specimens are extremely rare. More often than not, perfect-looking aquamarines are of artificial origin. When it comes to genuine stones, they often undergo heating to get a more saturated hue. A perfect March birthstone is natural aquamarine, and this applies to its color as well. It doesn't matter if a stone is large or small, all genuine aquamarines have powerful positive vibrations.

March Birthstone Meaning

March Birthstone Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Aquamarine is associated with good health, love, youth, and hope. Inseparably connected with the sea element, it is the oldest amulet for sailors and travelers. Jewelry embellished with aquamarine protects its owners from dangers and deceptions. It is able to make them more prudent and capable of making informed decisions. The stone helps eliminate anger and negative emotions, plus it relieves stress and fears. Aquamarine rings are a present for those who try to build long-distance relationships. The gem doesn’t let feelings fade while lovers are apart.

March Birthstone Aquamarine Properties


APRIL BIRTHSTONE DIAMOND

If you were born in April, you’re a lucky person because your patron saint is gorgeous diamond.

Birthstones by month, April Birthstone, Diamond

April Birthstone Meaning

A diamond needs no introduction, it is the king of all stones and the embodiment of luxury. Diamond is a distorted French word ‘diamant’ meaning adamant.

The history of diamonds is not as long as that of other precious gems. Due to the hardness of the stone and the complexity of its cutting, it was rarely used in jewelry. Prior to the invention of cutting methods, diamonds were lightly polished along their crystal facets to add luster. Needless to say, these cabochon cuts couldn’t provide the brilliance diamonds are loved for.

While being known since the 5th-6th centuries BC, the gem became popular only 550 years ago. In the Middle Ages, diamond was called the stone of the winners. Only monarchs or high-born nobles had the right to wear it.

To reap all the benefits of the April birthstone, you need to make sure your diamond is natural. Imitation and artificially grown crystals won’t do.

April Birthstone Meaning

April Birthstone Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Diamonds are associated with love, durability, and strength due to their superior hardness. April birthstone is able to help develop such qualities as courage, perfection, desire to win, and leadership. By strengthening all energy centers in its wearer, the gem enhances willpower, boosts stamina, and removes fatigue. Apart from that, it becomes a talisman that brings happiness and good luck. A person wearing a diamond gets more sociable, open-minded, and positive.

April Birthstone Diamond Properties


MAY BIRTHSTONE EMERALD

As green as May foliage, emerald is a talisman of people born at the turn of seasons.

Birthstones by month, May Birthstone, Emerald

May Birthstone Meaning

Emerald belongs to the beryl family and is in the ‘big three’ of colored gemstones along with sapphires and rubies. Large, pure emeralds of rich green tones are so rare that they are more valuable than diamonds. The old name of the stone is Smaragd, which is translated from Ancient Greek as green.

Since the dawn of civilization, emeralds have been admired and worshiped. The first mentions of the mineral date back to 4000 BC. Cleopatra considered emerald the most beautiful of all stones.

Natural emeralds are seldom perfectly transparent. As a rule, they feature a network of veins and cracks. French jewelers call this effect the ‘inner garden’.

The majority of emeralds available on the market are refined. The most delicate technique is impregnation with natural colorless oil. It fills the cracks of the stone and makes them invisible. Along with that, there are methods designed to imitate the look and the feel of the green precious stone. Needless to say, artificial emeralds won’t do as May birthstones.

May Birthstone Meaning

May Birthstone Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

The green color of emerald symbolizes peace and life. It is a beautiful solution to improve one’s eloquence. With the help of the stone, you will be able to express your thoughts and easily convey them to others. This stone acts as a guardian of families, love, and understanding. An owner of the mineral won’t know sadness and despondency. Instead, emeralds will bring happiness and harmony.

Emeralds are said to promote well-being and cure various diseases. Besides that, those who own the gem are able to see the shape of the future in its veins.

May Birthstone Emerald Properties


JUNE BIRTHSTONES PEARL, MOONSTONE, AND ALEXANDRITE

June is a month of generosity and diversity since it offers three birthstones at once.

Birthstones by month, June Birthstone, Pearls

June Birthstones Meaning

Pearls are gems but, unlike other birthstones, they are not minerals. These milky jewels are created by mollusks when some kind of irritant gets through their shell. Natural pearls are so rare, especially those of perfectly round shape, that the world pearl can be used to refer to anything that is rare, unique, and valuable. Today, most pearls are cultivated, i.e. they are grown at special pearl farms.

Alexandrite, the second June birthstone, is as rare as pearl but it can’t be cultivated. Named to honor the Russian Emperor Alexander II, the gem was discovered only in the 19th century. This magnificent variety of chrysoberyl can change its color in different lighting conditions: it is bluish-green in natural light and reddish-purple in artificial light. For this peculiarity, alexandrite is jokingly called emerald by day, ruby by night.

If you’re not hunting down rarities, pick moonstone as your talisman. The mineral dubbed moonstone by the Roman historian Pliny boasts its own alluring properties. Comprised of tiny light-scattering layers of feldspar, moonstone as if glows from within. This milky glow with a touch of blue is known as adularescence.

Birthstones by month, June Birthstone, Moonstone

June Birthstone Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Pearls are a symbol of modesty and spiritual purity. They protect their owner from ill-wishers as well as give prosperity, wisdom, and youth. If you’re unhappy in love, you can rely on the gem to relieve suffering. As a talisman, pearls help choose a goal in life, establish friendly relations, and promote communication with other people.

Alexandrite will help you see in the future, predict your faith, and choose the right path in life. When changing its color, it helps make decisions as well as warns about illnesses and misfortunes that may come your way.

Moonstone is a choice of leaders and those who set big goals. If you know what you want in life, the gem aids to deliver it. That being said, it helps only honest and kind people and can actually harm evil and fretful persons.

Birthstones by month, June Birthstone, Alexandrite


JULY BIRTHSTONE RUBY

This hot summer month is ruled by ruby, an ancient symbol of love and passion.

Birthstones by month, July Birthstone, Ruby

July Birthstone Meaning

Ruby belongs to the corundum class, which also includes sapphires and red spinel. The name of the mineral comes from the Latin ‘rubens’ or ‘rubinus’ standing for red. The red stone has been mined since the Bronze Age and the very first deposits were found in Burma. It was highly esteemed in Ancient India where it was called the king of precious stones.

Clear and pure rubies are hard to come by. Typically, natural stones are cloudy. To make them transparent, stones are complemented with a glassy material. However, if you really intend to make a luxurious and meaningful gift for someone born in July, you should focus on natural rubies. Specimens that exhibit fluorescence, i.e. they shine in the dark, are especially valuable. This property is due to the trace amounts of chromium, which is also responsible for the statement red color.

July Birthstone Meaning

July Birthstone Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Hot-red rubies are a symbol of love and passion. It is not for nothing that rubies are considered children of the Sun. Along with that, the mineral represents perseverance, prosperity, and protection. A ruby talisman attracts happiness to its owner, guards them against temptations, as well as drives away sadness and melancholy. The mineral feeds a person who wears it with positive energy and brings joy to their lives.

Due to its red color, the gem is able to affect the cardiovascular system. It protects against heart diseases, strengthens blood vessels, removes toxins from the blood, and boosts the level of hemoglobin.

July Birthstone Ruby Properties


AUGUST BIRTHSTONES PERIDOT AND SPINEL

Augustus, the month of abundance, has two stones as its patrons. Peridot is a stone that features the green of foliage and the warmth of sunlight. Spinel is the embodiment of juicy fruits and fantastic sunsets.

Birthstones by month, August Birthstone is Peridot

August Birthstones Meaning

Peridot and chrysolite are the same mineral, a yellowish-green variety of olivine. The gem’s name is translated from Greek as a golden stone. Its color can vary from dark to light green but it always showcases a touch of yellow.

Peridot is known as a gemstone since 4000 BC. Large clear stones were highly prized and loved by the rulers and nobility. This mineral is not as simple as it seems. It has often been confused with yellow topaz and emerald. They say that Cleopatra’s collection of emeralds was, in fact, comprised of peridot stones.

Spinel, the alternative August birthstone, was also mistaken with other minerals. Great Britain's Imperial Crown displays a gorgeous ruby. However, as shown by chemical analysis, this is not a ruby at all. Instead, this royal mineral is spinel. In a similar vein, the stone disguised as a ruby was found in the crowns of many European rulers.

The name spinel has a Latin origin and it means thorn because the crystals of the mineral really look like thorns. Besides deep reds, spinel can be orange, pink, purple, lilac, blue, and green.

Birthstones by month, August Birthstone Spinel

August Birthstones Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Peridot is a stone of friendship. It is believed that the gem helps become more decisive in the implementation of plans and dreams. Along with that, it sharpens intuition and protects against actions doomed to failure. A person who constantly wears peridot jewelry feels calm and happy. It is believed that the jewel enhances the ability to empathize and aids to build relationships between people. Thanks to these qualities, a mineral’s owner easily avoids conflicts.

Spinel has a calming and relaxing effect. They say that it helps find harmony, tame one’s inner demons, reduce anxiety, and get rid of anger. The red variety is a cure for blood diseases and inflammations.

August Birthstone Healing Properties


SEPTEMBER BIRTHSTONE SAPPHIRE

September birthstone brings coolness to the first month of autumn. The gem that opens the new season is one of the rarest gifts of nature.

Birthstones by Month, September Birthstone is Sapphire

September Birthstone Meaning

Sapphire is a representative of the corundum group. The precious stone has a wide range of colors. Basically, it can display every color of the rainbow, from yellow to dark blue and purple. That being said, September birthstone is specifically a cornflower blue variety of the stone.

The very name of the gem is associated with this color - the Greek sappheiros means a blue stone. Like all precious gems, sapphires are rare, shiny, and very hard. Unfortunately, most of the specimens cannot boast vibrant colors. They are blue-green or blue-gray, normally pale or dull. To provide the sought-after cornflower color, the gem is refined at a high temperature. These stones look awesome and have a high value in jewelry. However, we recommend 100% natural colors if you want September birthstone to serve you as a talisman.

September Birthstone Meaning

September Birthstone Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Sapphire calms, frees the mind from unnecessary thoughts, and helps focus on the most important things. The gem is able to endow its owner with modesty, happiness, and love. Aside from that, it assists in finding a purpose in life, overcoming fears and depression, as well as bringing peace of mind. The stone can feel if its owner needs tranquility or prudence, and it’s capable of providing that. On top of that, sapphire safeguards against betrayal and slander.

September Birthstone Sapphire Properties


OCTOBER BIRTHSTONES OPAL AND TOURMALINE

Birthstones by Month, October birthstone is opal

October Birthstones Meaning

Opals are a large group of minerals prized for their exquisite patterns and color shifts. The most valuable are noble stones featuring opalescence, i.e. the so-called play of color. Opals found in Ethiopia, Australia, as well as fiery Mexican opals are the best October birthstones.

The word opal is derived from Sanskrit ‘upala’ and Roman ‘opalus’ that mean a precious stone. Ancient writers compared these colorful gems to galaxies and volcanoes. In some cultures, it was deemed as a gift from gods or a petrified strike of lightning.

Opal is a porous and fairly soft mineral that requires special care. In other words, it is not designed for everyone. Thankfully, you have an alternative. Tourmaline is not as fractious as opal but it is also exceptionally beautiful. In nature, tourmaline occurs in the form of elongated crystals of green, green-blue, red, and pink hues, as well as with the transition of these colors in the same stone. This property is reflected in the name of the gem itself - the Sinhalese word ‘tourmali’ stands for a stone with various colors.

Birthstone by month, October Birthstone Tourmaline

October Birthstones Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Opal brings happiness, drives away gloomy thoughts and fears, as well as protects against illness. As a talisman, opal ensures success in all endeavors. Opal is able to strengthen intuition, it lifts the spirit during emotional turmoil, as well as helps let go of the past. Regardless of its color, opal reinforces willpower and aids to move towards one’s goal.

Tourmalines provide creative inspiration and improve mood. Pink stones are symbols of love. They are the perfect gift to someone you love because they help express your feelings, strengthen a bond, and preserve affection. If you seek courage, boldness, and strength, your choice is green tourmaline. Black specimens lend themselves to boosting self-confidence.

October Birthstone Opal Properties


NOVEMBER BIRTHSTONES CITRINE AND TOPAZ

The warming golden color of citrine and yellow topaz brighten up cold November days.

Birthstones by month, November birthstone is citrine

November Birthstones Meaning

Topaz is an ancient gem that went down in history. This trickster stone was often confused with other minerals, and other minerals were often mistaken for topaz. This is because the gem has many colors - blue, brown, yellow, orange, pink, red, and even completely colorless. October birthstone is specifically yellow topaz. That being said, you should be careful when being in the market for yellow gems since they're often obtained artificially by firing colorless specimens. Yes, these gems look gorgeous but they fail to provide the support and valuable properties sought-after by people born in November.

When it comes to the name of the mineral, it has Sanskrit roots and means fire.

Citrine is the other warm mineral for the cold autumn month. The gem belongs to the quartz group. Its name comes from the Latin citron translated as lemon yellow. Its signature colors are not only yellow but also brown, orange, and lime. Similar to topaz, citrine was often confused with warm-colored gems. This confusion hasn’t ceased to this day. This is because amethysts and smoky quartz exposed to high temperatures take on a yellow tint. By giving them the trade name citrine, unscrupulous sellers try to pass them off as November birthstone. Needless to say, only genuine citrines the way they were created by Mother Nature are true talismans of November-born people.

Birthstones by month, November Birthstone is Topaz

November Birthstones Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

It is said that topaz has the power to heal and preserve sanity. The stone is associated with life and the strength of the body and mind. It was once believed that topaz wearers would become invisible when danger approached.

Citrine is deemed as a stone of prosperity and wealth. It attracts success in business and helps accomplish ambitious plans. The mineral provides self-confidence and provides generosity towards others. Aside from that, the gem is a conductor of positive energy. If you wear citrine, good deeds will boomerang back to you.

November Birthstones Properties


DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES TANZANITE, ZIRCON, AND TURQUOISE

We celebrate the end of the month with a bang. When it comes to December birthstones, they provide this coveted ‘bang’. Your choice ranges through the rarest gem, a stone that originated its own color, and a jewel born in a volcano.

Birthstones by Month, December Birthstone is Tanzanite

December Birthstones Meaning

Tanzanite is found in a single place on Earth, in Tanzania, hence the name. This blue-purple mineral is often called the gem of the 20th century because it was found only in 1967. Tanzanite is a fairly expensive December birthstone due to its rarity and amazing properties. It displays an optical phenomenon pleochroism, which is manifested in various color transitions when a stone is viewed at different angles. There are also specimens with alexandrite effect – they are blue in daylight and purple in incandescent light. You can also get cat’s eye tanzanite.

Zircon is a December birthstone of volcanic origin. The Persian word ‘zargun’ stands for golden. It is true, zircons feature golden hues, plus they exist in orange, red, green, and blue colors. When zircons are heated, irradiated, or placed under the UV light, they start glowing. Similar to tanzanite, they can boast pleochroism.

The most affordable of December birthstones is turquoise. This opaque gem with a statement color is considered a talisman of victors. It is believed that young turquoise specimens are on the bluish side and mature stones get greener. Regardless of its color, turquoise displays intricate veins, which are the remnants of mother rock.

Birthstones by month, December Birthstone is Zircon

December Birthstones Healing Properties and Metaphysical Properties

Tanzanite is a guide for spirituality. It helps understand the universe and its laws, awakens hidden abilities and powers, and provides the answers to vital questions.

Zircon is the patron saint of travelers, merchants, and entrepreneurs. Yellow varieties

Birthstone