TOC
- 0. What Are Birthstones?
- 1. JANUARY BIRTHSTONE: GARNET
- 2. FEBRUARY BIRTHSTONE: AMETHYST
- 3. MARCH BIRTHSTONE: AQUAMARINE
- 4. APRIL BIRTHSTONE: DIAMOND
- 5. MAY BIRTHSTONE: EMERALD
- 6. JUNE BIRTHSTONES: PEARL, ALEXANDRITE & MOONSTONE
- 7. JULY BIRTHSTONE: RUBY
- 8. AUGUST BIRTHSTONES: PERIDOT & SPINEL
- 9. SEPTEMBER BIRTHSTONE: SAPPHIRE
- 10. OCTOBER BIRTHSTONES: OPAL & TOURMALINE
- 11. NOVEMBER BIRTHSTONES: TOPAZ & CITRINE
- 12. DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES: TANZANITE, ZIRCON & TURQUOISE
- 13. Shop Birthstones at KenKenGems
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What Are Birthstones?
A birthstone is a gemstone traditionally linked to the month a person was born. The custom is centuries old, and today most jewelers in North America follow the modern birthstone list maintained by the industry (originally standardized in 1912 and updated since — most recently with the additions of tanzanite in 2002 and spinel in 2016).
Not every month has just one stone. Several months offer two or three modern birthstones, and many months also have older traditional or alternative stones, so you often have a choice of color, look, and budget. This pillar guide walks through all twelve months, explains what each gem actually is, and links you to a detailed guide for every birthstone.
These are traditional beliefs and folklore, not medical claims. Gemstones are not medicine and cannot diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness. The meanings below are cultural symbolism and crystal lore, shared for interest only.
Use the chart below for a quick, accurate overview, then jump to your month for the full story.
| Month | Modern Birthstone(s) | Traditional / Alternative | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | — | Deep red |
| February | Amethyst | — | Purple |
| March | Aquamarine | Bloodstone | Light blue / green |
| April | Diamond | — | Colorless (all colors) |
| May | Emerald | — | Green |
| June | Pearl, Alexandrite, Moonstone | — | White / color-change / white sheen |
| July | Ruby | — | Red |
| August | Peridot, Spinel | Sardonyx | Green / many colors |
| September | Sapphire | — | Blue (all colors) |
| October | Opal, Tourmaline | — | Play-of-color / many colors |
| November | Topaz, Citrine | — | Yellow / golden |
| December | Tanzanite, Zircon, Turquoise | Blue Topaz, Lapis Lazuli | Blue / violet-blue / sky-blue |
A quick honest note on quality: many birthstones are treated to improve color or durability — for example, most blue topaz is irradiated, ruby and sapphire are usually heat-treated, emerald is usually oil-treated, and much citrine is heat-treated amethyst. These are accepted trade practices, and reputable sellers disclose them. Each month's dedicated guide covers treatments in detail; browse everything in our birthstone collection.
JANUARY BIRTHSTONE: GARNET
Garnet opens the birthstone year. Its name comes from the Latin *granatum* ("pomegranate seed"), a nod to the fiery red crystals that look like juicy pomegranate seeds. Garnet is actually a large group of minerals in many colors, but the classic deep-red pyrope and almandine varieties are the traditional January stone. Garnet is usually untreated, so natural stones are easy to find.
Symbolism (folklore). Garnet is traditionally seen as a stone of friendship, loyalty, and sincerity — a warm counterpoint to the coldest month. In old lore it was carried as a guardian or travel talisman. These are cultural associations, not health claims.
Read more in our January birthstone guide or shop the garnet collection.
FEBRUARY BIRTHSTONE: AMETHYST
Amethyst, February's birthstone, is the purple variety of quartz, showing every shade from pale lilac to deep, almost-black violet. Its name comes from the ancient Greek for "non-intoxicating," reflecting an old belief about the stone. Clear, richly colored specimens are the most prized. Note that much commercial citrine is heat-treated amethyst, which is why the two are so closely related.
Symbolism (folklore). Amethyst is traditionally associated with calm, clarity, and sobriety of mind, and has long been a favorite for reflection and meditation. These are cultural beliefs, not medical or cosmetic claims.
Read more in our February birthstone guide or shop the amethyst collection.
MARCH BIRTHSTONE: AQUAMARINE
Aquamarine is March's birthstone — a sea-blue member of the beryl family (the same family as emerald). Its name joins the Latin *aqua* (water) and *mare* (sea). Aquamarine is commonly heat-treated to deepen its blue, an accepted and disclosed practice. The traditional alternative March stone is bloodstone, a dark green chalcedony flecked with red.
Symbolism (folklore). Aquamarine has traditionally been a talisman of sailors and travelers, and is linked in lore to calm, hope, and steady communication. These are cultural associations only.
Read more in our March birthstone guide or shop the aquamarine collection.
APRIL BIRTHSTONE: DIAMOND
Diamond, April's birthstone, is the hardest natural material (10 on the Mohs scale) and the classic symbol of enduring love. Though known since antiquity, it only became widely worn in jewelry about 550 years ago, once cutting techniques could reveal its famous brilliance. Diamonds occur colorless and in a full range of fancy colors.
Symbolism (folklore). Because of its unmatched hardness, diamond is traditionally associated with strength, courage, and lasting commitment. These are cultural meanings, not health claims.
Read more in our April birthstone guide or shop the diamond collection.
MAY BIRTHSTONE: EMERALD
Emerald is May's birthstone — the vivid green variety of beryl and one of the "big three" colored gemstones alongside ruby and sapphire. Fine, richly green emeralds can be rarer than diamonds. Natural emeralds almost always contain inclusions (jewelers call them the *jardin*, or garden), and most emeralds are oil-treated to improve clarity, a long-accepted practice that should be disclosed.
Symbolism (folklore). Green has long meant renewal and growth, so emerald is traditionally linked with peace, patience, and eloquent communication. These are cultural associations, not medical claims.
Read more in our May birthstone guide or shop the emerald collection.
JUNE BIRTHSTONES: PEARL, ALEXANDRITE & MOONSTONE
June is generous, with three modern birthstones. Pearl is an organic gem grown inside mollusks (today mostly cultured on pearl farms). Alexandrite is a rare color-change variety of chrysoberyl — green in daylight, reddish-purple in incandescent light ("emerald by day, ruby by night"). Moonstone is a feldspar prized for its floating blue-white glow, called adularescence.
Symbolism (folklore). Pearl is traditionally a symbol of purity and calm; alexandrite is linked in lore to balance and good fortune; moonstone is associated with intuition and new beginnings. These are cultural beliefs only.
Read more in our June birthstone guide, or shop pearls, alexandrite, and moonstone.
JULY BIRTHSTONE: RUBY
Ruby rules July — the red variety of corundum (sapphire is the same mineral in other colors). Its name comes from the Latin *rubens* ("red"), and its color is due to trace chromium. Rubies are one of the "big three" colored gems, and most rubies are heat-treated to improve color and clarity — a standard, disclosed practice.
Symbolism (folklore). As a fiery red stone, ruby is traditionally a symbol of love, passion, and vitality, and was long considered a stone of protection and prosperity. These are cultural associations, not medical claims.
Read more in our July birthstone guide or shop the ruby collection.
AUGUST BIRTHSTONES: PERIDOT & SPINEL
August has two modern birthstones. Peridot is the yellow-green variety of olivine, mined since ancient Egypt and always showing a signature lime-to-olive tone. Spinel was added as an official August birthstone in 2016; it comes in a rainbow of colors, and famous "rubies" in royal crowns (like the Black Prince's Ruby) turned out to be red spinel. The traditional alternative August stone is sardonyx.
Symbolism (folklore). Peridot is traditionally a stone of friendship and lightness; spinel is associated in lore with energy and renewal. These are cultural beliefs, not health claims.
Read more in our August birthstone guide, or shop peridot and spinel.
SEPTEMBER BIRTHSTONE: SAPPHIRE
Sapphire is September's birthstone — the gem variety of corundum in every color except red (which is ruby). The classic birthstone color is a rich cornflower to royal blue, though sapphire also occurs in pink, yellow, and "fancy" hues. Most sapphires are heat-treated to improve color, an accepted and disclosed trade practice.
Symbolism (folklore). Sapphire is traditionally linked with wisdom, focus, loyalty, and calm, and was long worn as a symbol of sincerity. These are cultural associations, not medical claims.
Read more in our September birthstone guide or shop the sapphire collection.
OCTOBER BIRTHSTONES: OPAL & TOURMALINE
October has two modern birthstones. Opal is famous for its shifting rainbow "play-of-color"; it is porous and fairly soft, so it needs gentle care. Tourmaline is more durable and comes in an enormous color range, including bi-color and "watermelon" crystals — its name comes from the Sinhalese *tourmali*, "stone of mixed colors."
Symbolism (folklore). Opal is traditionally associated with creativity and hope; tourmaline (especially pink and green) is linked in lore to love, inspiration, and confidence. These are cultural beliefs only.
Read more in our October birthstone guide, or shop opal and tourmaline.
NOVEMBER BIRTHSTONES: TOPAZ & CITRINE
November has two golden birthstones. Topaz occurs in many colors — blue, colorless, pink, and more — but the traditional November topaz is a warm golden-yellow to orange (imperial topaz). Much of the blue topaz sold today is colorless topaz that has been irradiated and heated to produce its color, a standard, disclosed treatment. Citrine is the golden-to-orange variety of quartz; because natural citrine is uncommon, much commercial citrine is heat-treated amethyst, which reputable sellers disclose.
Symbolism (folklore). Golden topaz is traditionally associated with warmth, strength, and good fortune, while citrine is linked in lore to positivity, abundance, and generosity. These are cultural beliefs, not medical claims.
Read more in our November birthstone guide, or shop topaz and citrine.
DECEMBER BIRTHSTONES: TANZANITE, ZIRCON & TURQUOISE
December offers three modern birthstones. Tanzanite is the blue-violet variety of the mineral zoisite, found only in Tanzania and discovered in 1967; almost all tanzanite is heat-treated to bring out its color. Zircon is a natural mineral, zirconium silicate (ZrSiO4), prized for its brilliance and most popular in blue; it is often heat-treated. Importantly, zircon is not the same as cubic zirconia (CZ) — CZ is a lab-made diamond simulant with different chemistry — and it is not the metal zirconium. Turquoise is a sky-blue to green copper-aluminum phosphate; most turquoise on the market is stabilized (resin-treated), and dyed howlite or magnesite is sometimes sold as imitation, so buy from sellers who disclose treatment. Traditional and alternative December stones also include blue topaz and lapis lazuli.
Symbolism (folklore). Tanzanite is traditionally linked with transformation and intuition; zircon with wisdom and steady grounding for travelers; turquoise with friendship, protection, and calm. These are cultural beliefs, not medical claims.
Read more in our December birthstone guide, or shop tanzanite, zircon, and turquoise.
Shop Birthstones at KenKenGems
Whether you are shopping for your own birth month or for a birthday gift, KenKenGems carries hand-picked birthstones for every month — loose stones, faceted cuts, cabochons, and gemstone beads for jewelry making and collecting. We describe each stone's treatment status so you can buy with confidence.
Jump straight to your month: garnet, amethyst, aquamarine, diamond, emerald, pearl, ruby, peridot, sapphire, opal, topaz, tanzanite, or browse the full birthstone collection.
