Birthstone
A gemstone traditionally linked to a person's month of birth, such as garnet for January or sapphire for September.
A birthstone is the gem tied to the month you were born, a tradition that runs back centuries and was standardised for the modern trade by jewellers in the early twentieth century. Garnet belongs to January, ruby to July, sapphire to September, and so on down the calendar. Birthstone pieces are a reliable gifting category, personal without needing a bespoke design, and several months now offer more than one stone so buyers have a choice of colour and budget.
The month by month list
The widely used modern list runs: garnet for January, amethyst for February, aquamarine for March, diamond for April, emerald for May, and pearl or alexandrite or moonstone for June. July is ruby, August is peridot or spinel, September is sapphire, October is opal or tourmaline, November is topaz or citrine, and December is turquoise, tanzanite or zircon.
The months with several options exist because the trade added alternatives over the years, often to give a more affordable or more available choice. June, August, October, November and December all carry more than one accepted stone, which is useful when a customer likes the idea but not the colour or price of the first option.
- January garnet, February amethyst, March aquamarine
- April diamond, May emerald, June pearl or moonstone
- July ruby, August peridot, September sapphire
- October opal or tourmaline, November topaz or citrine, December turquoise or tanzanite
Why birthstones sell
Birthstone jewellery turns a stock pendant or ring into something personal, which is why it works so well for birthdays, mother's jewellery and family pieces that combine several stones for several children. It gives staff an easy, meaningful way to guide a gift buyer who does not have a specific design in mind.
For a retailer, birthstones map neatly onto a catalogue: one design can be offered across twelve stones, and the month becomes a filter customers browse by. It is a low risk way to widen an assortment without designing twelve separate pieces.
- Each calendar month has an associated birthstone.
- The modern list was standardised by the jewellery trade.
- Several months, such as June and December, offer more than one stone.
- Birthstone pieces are a strong, easy to sell gifting category.
Birthstone, in short.
What is the birthstone for September?
September's birthstone is sapphire, most familiar in its rich blue but also found in pink, yellow and other colours.
Why do some months have two birthstones?
The trade added alternatives over time, often to offer a more affordable or more available option. June, August, October, November and December each have more than one accepted stone.
Are birthstone lists the same everywhere?
The modern list used across most of the jewellery trade is broadly consistent, but some older traditional and regional lists differ, so a few months vary depending on the source.
Related terms
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