If you have ever typed what is my birthstone into a search box, the answer is simpler than you might think: every month of the year has a gemstone assigned to it. Find your birth month in the table below and you have your birthstone, along with its traditional color and meaning.
Birthstones turn up everywhere: in birthday jewelry, engagement rings, graduation gifts, and family keepsakes. This guide gives you the complete 12-month birthstone chart, a short history of where the tradition comes from, a worked example, and answers to the questions people ask most.
Birthstones by Month: The Complete Table
Here is the modern birthstone list, the version jewelers in the United States have used since 1912 (with later additions noted below).
| Month | Birthstone(s) | Typical color | Traditional meanings |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | Deep red | Protection, vitality, loyalty |
| February | Amethyst | Purple | Calm, clarity, courage |
| March | Aquamarine | Pale blue | Serenity, courage, communication |
| April | Diamond | Colorless / white | Strength, purity, everlasting love |
| May | Emerald | Green | Love, rebirth, wisdom |
| June | Pearl, Alexandrite | White / iridescent; green-to-red | Purity, integrity; balance, luck |
| July | Ruby | Red | Passion, protection, prosperity |
| August | Peridot | Yellow-green | Happiness, protection, good fortune |
| September | Sapphire | Blue | Wisdom, loyalty, nobility |
| October | Opal, Tourmaline | Iridescent play of color; pink-green | Hope, creativity; compassion, healing |
| November | Topaz, Citrine | Golden yellow | Warmth, abundance; joy, energy |
| December | Turquoise, Zircon, Tanzanite | Blue-green; blue; violet-blue | Luck, health; wisdom; transformation |
The History of Birthstones (in Brief)
The idea of linking gems to the calendar is ancient. The breastplate of the high priest Aaron, described in the Book of Exodus, was set with twelve stones, and the first-century historian Josephus connected those twelve stones with the twelve months of the year and the twelve signs of the zodiac. By the 8th and 9th centuries, a custom had developed (recorded in Hindu tradition and later in Europe) of owning all twelve stones and wearing the one for the current month.
The personal-birthstone idea we know today took shape much later. In 18th-century Poland, wearing the gemstone of your own birth month became fashionable, and the custom spread across Europe. In 1912, the American National Retail Jewelers Association published the first standardized modern list, which is the chart above. It has been updated a few times since: alexandrite, tourmaline, citrine, and zircon were added as alternates in 1952, tanzanite joined December in 2002, and spinel was added as an August alternate in 2016.
Month-by-Month Birthstone Highlights
January: Garnet. The deep red garnet was carried by medieval travelers and warriors as a stone of protection, and it remains one of the most affordable birthstones, which makes it a popular choice for everyday jewelry.
February: Amethyst. This purple quartz gets its name from the Greek amethystos, meaning not intoxicated: ancient Greeks believed it guarded against drunkenness. It has long symbolized calm and clear thinking.
March: Aquamarine. Named for seawater, aquamarine was the talisman of sailors, who believed it kept them safe on the waves. Its pale blue color is associated with serenity and honest communication.
April: Diamond. The hardest natural material known, the diamond takes its name from the Greek adamas, meaning unbreakable. It symbolizes strength and everlasting love, which is why it dominates engagement rings.
May: Emerald. Cleopatra was famously devoted to emeralds from Egypt’s mines. The vivid green stone stands for love, rebirth, and wisdom, fitting for the heart of spring.
June: Pearl and Alexandrite. The pearl is the only major gemstone that comes from a living creature, and it has symbolized purity for millennia. Alexandrite is the chameleon of the list: it looks green in daylight and red under lamplight, and it is one of the rarest birthstones of all.
July: Ruby. Called the king of precious stones in ancient Sanskrit texts, the ruby was worn by warriors who believed it made them invincible in battle. Today it stands for passion and prosperity.
August: Peridot. This yellow-green gem forms in volcanic rock and, remarkably, in meteorites that fall to Earth. The green sands of some Hawaiian beaches get their color from peridot crystals.
September: Sapphire. Medieval clergy wore sapphires as symbols of heaven, and the stone’s fame exploded again with Princess Diana’s (now Catherine’s) blue sapphire engagement ring. It represents wisdom and loyalty.
October: Opal and Tourmaline. The opal’s shifting play of color made it a symbol of hope and creativity. Tourmaline, added in 1952, is one of the most colorful gemstones in existence, appearing in nearly every hue.
November: Topaz and Citrine. Golden topaz takes its name from the Sanskrit tapas, meaning heat. Citrine, sometimes called healing quartz, brings the sunny yellow end of the spectrum and stands for joy and energy.
December: Turquoise, Zircon, and Tanzanite. Turquoise adorned Egyptian pharaohs thousands of years ago. Zircon, one of the oldest minerals on Earth, comes in a brilliant blue. Tanzanite, the newcomer, is found in only one place in the world (Tanzania) and was added to the list in 2002.
Worked Example: Born in June? Your Birthstone Is Pearl
Suppose your birthday is June 14, 1998. Look up June in the table: your birthstone is the pearl, with alexandrite as the modern alternate. That is the entire method, no calculation needed, just the month. Traditionally you would choose the pearl for its classic meaning of purity, or pick alexandrite if you prefer a rare color-changing gem. If you want to count down to the next time you can celebrate with it, our next-birthday countdown shows exactly how long remains until your birthday.
Which Months Have More Than One Birthstone?
June, October, and November each have two birthstones, and December has three. The extras were added over the years to give jewelers and buyers more choice: alexandrite and tourmaline in 1952, citrine as a November alternate, tanzanite in 2002, and spinel for August in 2016. There is no official rule for choosing: pick the stone whose color you like, whose meaning speaks to you, or whose price fits your budget. Many people simply wear both.
Related Reading
Your birth month says more about you than just your birthstone. Find your zodiac sign by date of birth (the classic birth-month companion), see when your next birthday is, explore legal age thresholds around the world, learn what age is considered senior citizen, or return to the homepage to calculate your exact age.
Your birth date holds more than a birthstone: discover your Chinese Zodiac Finder animal and element from your exact birth date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which months have more than one birthstone?
June (pearl and alexandrite), October (opal and tourmaline), and November (topaz and citrine) each have two, while December has three: turquoise, zircon, and tanzanite. August also has an official alternate, spinel, added in 2016.
How do I choose between two birthstones for my month?
There is no official rule, so choose freely. Most people go by color preference, budget, alexandrite and tanzanite are far pricier than pearl or citrine, or the traditional meaning they like best. Jewelers are happy to set either stone, and wearing both is completely acceptable.
What is the rarest birthstone?
Alexandrite and tanzanite are the usual contenders. Alexandrite’s dramatic color change from green to red comes from trace chromium, and fine specimens are genuinely scarce. Tanzanite is mined in only one small area of Tanzania, which limits supply. Among single-stone months, fine red ruby and Kashmir-type blue sapphire are also exceptionally rare.
Are birthstones the same all over the world?
Not exactly. The 1912 list is American in origin and is the most widely used, but other traditions differ. The United Kingdom, for example, has historically used slightly different stones for some months, and Hindu and Ayurvedic traditions use the nine-gem navaratna system rather than the twelve-month list. If you are buying from a jeweler abroad, it is worth checking which list they follow.
Can I wear a birthstone from a different month?
Absolutely, there are no rules. Many people wear a partner’s or child’s birthstone, choose a stone for its meaning rather than its month, or simply wear whatever gemstone they find beautiful. The month chart is a tradition for gift-giving, not a law.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is my birthstone?
Each month has a traditional birthstone: 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.
Where did birthstones come from?
The modern list traces back to the twelve stones of the High Priest’s breastplate described in Exodus, linked to the twelve tribes of Israel and later the twelve months. The current US list was standardized by jewelers in 1912 and updated several times since, most recently adding tanzanite for December.
Can I wear a different birthstone than my month?
Absolutely. Birthstone traditions are folk custom, not rules. Many people wear stones for months meaningful to them, like a child’s birth month or an anniversary, or simply choose the stone they find most beautiful.
What is the birthstone for leap day birthdays?
February 29 birthdays use February’s stone, amethyst. The birthstone follows the month, so leap day babies share the same stone as everyone else born in February.
Date and age rules can vary by organization or jurisdiction. For official eligibility or legal deadlines, confirm the applicable rule with the relevant authority.