Birthstone jewelry guide
Birthstone jewelry: necklaces, rings and bracelets by month
A birthstone is only a color until someone wears it. This page collects the pieces people actually buy — single-stone pendants, family necklaces, name necklaces with a birthstone accent, stacking rings and bracelets — and explains how to choose the stone, the metal and the setting so the piece lasts.
How to choose birthstone jewelry
Start with the month, then the setting. Softer stones — pearl, opal, turquoise, tanzanite — take fewer knocks on a chain than on a finger, so a birthstone necklace is the more forgiving choice. Harder stones such as sapphire, ruby and diamond will survive a daily-wear birthstone ring. Read the hardness figure for each month in the birthstones by month guide.
Match the metal to the color
Warm stones (garnet, citrine, ruby, peridot) sit best in yellow gold; cool stones (aquamarine, sapphire, diamond, blue topaz) sharpen against silver and white metals; pearl and pink stones flatter rose gold. Compare every month's color in the birthstone color guide.
Pieces that hold more than one month
For mothers and couples, a family birthstone necklace sets one stone per birthday in a single row, so the piece grows with the family rather than being replaced.
Personalized birthstone jewelry
Birthstone necklaces, rings and bracelets in 18K gold. Choose your month's stone, add a name, initial or date, then pick a finish.
Shop birthstone jewelry by month
January birthstone jewelryGarnet · Deep red
February birthstone jewelryAmethyst · Violet purple
March birthstone jewelryAquamarine · Sea blue to blue-green
April birthstone jewelryDiamond · Colorless white
May birthstone jewelryEmerald · Vivid green
June birthstone jewelryPearl · White, cream, silver — and color-changing
July birthstone jewelryRuby · Rich red
August birthstone jewelryPeridot · Yellow-green olive
September birthstone jewelrySapphire · Royal blue (and every color but red)
October birthstone jewelryOpal · Play-of-color; pink to watermelon
November birthstone jewelryTopaz · Golden yellow to warm orange
December birthstone jewelryTurquoise · Blue — from robin's-egg to violet-blue
Birthstone jewelry questions
More answers in the birthstone questions and answers guide.
- What is birthstone jewelry?
- Birthstone jewelry is any necklace, ring or bracelet set with the gemstone traditionally linked to a birth month — garnet for January, amethyst for February, aquamarine for March and so on. It is worn as a personal talisman and given as a birthday, anniversary or new-baby gift.
- Which birthstone necklace should I buy as a gift?
- Match the stone to the wearer's birth month, then pick a setting that suits how they dress. A single-stone pendant or teardrop necklace is the safest choice; a family birthstone necklace with one stone per child is the classic mother's gift; a name necklace with a birthstone accent works when you want the piece personalized.
- Can I combine more than one birthstone in one piece?
- Yes. Family and double birthstone designs hold two or more stones side by side, usually one per child or one for each partner. Marquise and baguette cuts sit neatly next to each other, so they are the most common cuts for multi-stone pieces.
- Is birthstone jewelry made with real gemstones?
- It depends on the piece. Natural birthstone jewelry uses mined stones, while many everyday designs use lab-grown or simulated stones in the same color so that soft or rare gems — opal, emerald, alexandrite — survive daily wear at an affordable price. Always check the stone description before buying.
- What metal is best for birthstone jewelry?
- 18K gold vermeil over sterling silver gives the warmth of gold with far better durability than thin plating, and it flatters warm stones such as garnet, citrine and ruby. Silver and white metals sharpen cool stones such as aquamarine, sapphire and diamond. Rose gold suits pearl, morganite and pink tourmaline.
- How do I care for a birthstone necklace?
- Put jewelry on last and take it off first. Keep it away from perfume, chlorine and household cleaners, wipe it with a soft cloth after wear, and store pieces separately so harder stones cannot scratch softer ones like opal, pearl and turquoise.
- Which birthstones are too soft for everyday rings?
- Pearl, opal, turquoise, moonstone and tanzanite are all below 7 on the Mohs scale and chip easily on a ring. Wear them as pendants or earrings instead, or choose a protective bezel setting if you want them on your hand.
- Can I personalize birthstone jewelry with a name or initial?
- Yes — most birthstone pieces can be engraved or built around a name, initial, birth flower or zodiac sign, with the stone set as an accent. Choose the finish and personalization on the product page before checkout.