Birthstones are gemstones that represent each month of the year. They are thought to bring good luck, health, and prosperity to people born in their corresponding month. Many people enjoy wearing jewelry featuring their birthstone. But did you know that some months actually have more than one designated birthstone?
Traditional Birthstones
The traditional birthstone list dates back to the first century and consisted of one birthstone for each month. This original list was created by Josephus, a Roman historian, and was based on the 12 stones that were believed to have adorned Aaron’s breastplate in the Bible. The traditional birthstones are:
| January | Garnet |
| February | Amethyst |
| March | Aquamarine |
| April | Diamond |
| May | Emerald |
| June | Pearl |
| July | Ruby |
| August | Peridot |
| September | Sapphire |
| October | Opal |
| November | Topaz |
| December | Turquoise |
As you can see, each month was assigned just one birthstone.
Modern Birthstones
In 1912, the American National Association of Jewelers (now called Jewelers of America) updated the traditional birthstone list by adding more options. They assigned a total of three birthstones for each month, giving people more choices. The modern birthstones are:
| January | Garnet |
| Emerald | |
| Alexandrite | |
| February | Amethyst |
| Pearl | |
| Moonstone | |
| March | Aquamarine |
| Bloodstone | |
| Jasper | |
| April | Diamond |
| Quartz | |
| Opal | |
| May | Emerald |
| Chrysoprase | |
| Agate | |
| June | Pearl |
| Alexandrite | |
| Moonstone | |
| July | Ruby |
| Onyx | |
| Carnelian | |
| August | Peridot |
| Spinel | |
| Olivine | |
| September | Sapphire |
| Agate | |
| Lapis Lazuli | |
| October | Opal |
| Tourmaline | |
| Jasper | |
| November | Topaz |
| Citrine | |
| Pearl | |
| December | Turquoise |
| Tanzanite | |
| Zircon |
With the modern list, most months were assigned three different birthstones, giving people born in that month more options to choose from.
Birthstones Added in 1952
In 1952, the Jewelers of America added more birthstones to the modern list. They assigned a total of four gems for March, October, November, and December. Here are the birthstones they added:
- March – Bloodstone, Jasper, Aquamarine
- October – Opal, Pink Tourmaline, Jasper
- November – Topaz, Citrine, Pearl
- December – Turquoise, Blue Zircon, Tanzanite
With these additions, people born in March, October, November, and December were given more birthstone choices.
Birthstones Added in 2002
The most recent update to the modern birthstone list came in 2002. The American Gem Trade Association and Jewelers of America added Spinel and Tanzanite to the list:
- Spinel was added as an additional August birthstone.
- Tanzanite was added as an additional December birthstone.
This brought the total number of birthstones for August up to 4 and December up to 5. No changes have been made since 2002.
How Many Birthstones Per Month?
Based on all of the additions over the years, here is how many birthstones are now assigned to each month:
| January | 3 birthstones |
| February | 3 birthstones |
| March | 4 birthstones |
| April | 3 birthstones |
| May | 3 birthstones |
| June | 3 birthstones |
| July | 3 birthstones |
| August | 4 birthstones |
| September | 3 birthstones |
| October | 4 birthstones |
| November | 4 birthstones |
| December | 5 birthstones |
As you can see, most months now have 3 designated birthstones. March, October, November, and December have 4 birthstones. And December has the most with 5 different birthstone options.
Most Popular Birthstones
Although each month has several birthstone choices, some tend to be more popular than others. Here are some of the most popular birthstones by month:
- January – Garnet
- February – Amethyst
- March – Aquamarine
- April – Diamond
- May – Emerald
- June – Pearl
- July – Ruby
- August – Peridot
- September – Sapphire
- October – Opal
- November – Topaz
- December – Turquoise
The traditional birthstones tend to remain the most popular each month. But the additional birthstones give people more options if they want to wear something different.
Choosing Your Birthstone
When choosing your birthstone, the most important factors are your personal preference and what looks best with your skin tone and style. Consider the color and how you intend to wear the stone. Birthstone jewelry makes a great gift for yourself or someone else born in that month. Speak to a jeweler if you need help selecting among the options for your month.
Birthstone Colors and Meanings
Each birthstone is a beautiful, unique gem with its own color and symbolic meaning. Here is an overview of the colors and meanings associated with each month’s birthstones:
- January – Garnet: Deep red, thought to inspire love and devotion.
- February – Amethyst: Lovely purple, associated with peace and stability.
- March – Aquamarine: Serene blue-green, represents youth, health and hope.
- April – Diamond: Brilliant white, embodies enduring love and prosperity.
- May – Emerald: Vivid green, symbolizes fertility, rebirth and insight.
- June – Pearl: Iridescent white, thought to represent purity and modesty.
- July – Ruby: Fiery red, signifies passion and protection from harm.
- August – Peridot: Lime green, inspires strength, power and cleansing.
- September – Sapphire: Heavenly blue, associated with wisdom, virtue and good fortune.
- October – Opal: Multi-colored, represents hope, innocence and confidence.
- November – Topaz: Golden yellow, thought to promote fidelity, friendship and fortune.
- December – Turquoise: Vibrant blue-green, brings luck, success and happiness.
Conclusion
While each month originally had just one birthstone, additional options have been added over the years. Most months now have between 3-5 designated birthstones. The traditional birthstones remain the most popular, but the other stones offer more choices. Select your birthstone based on personal preference, skin tone and intended use. Birthstones make meaningful gifts and jewelry for their corresponding months.