Lots of questions answered
Birthstone questions, answered
Everything people search for about birthstones — what they are, which one is yours, why some months have several, which stones survive daily wear and how to look after them.
If you already know your month and just want to wear it, start with a birthstone necklace or a name necklace with your birthstone, then read the answers below before you choose the metal.
General birthstone questions
More answers in the birthstone questions and answers guide.
- What is a birthstone?
- A birthstone is a gemstone linked to a calendar month, worn by people born in that month. The tradition assigns at least one stone to each of the twelve months.
- What is my birthstone?
- Your birthstone is the gem assigned to your birth 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.
- Why do some months have two or three birthstones?
- Because the modern list was expanded for supply and affordability. Alexandrite was added to June in 1952, tanzanite to December in 2002 and spinel to August in 2016, while the older traditional stones stayed in use.
- Is pearl a birthstone?
- Yes — pearl is the primary June birthstone and the only birthstone created by a living animal.
- What is the rarest birthstone?
- Natural alexandrite is the rarest of the mainstream birthstones, rarer than fine ruby. Tanzanite is also geologically rare: it is found in only one small area of Tanzania.
- What is the most affordable birthstone?
- Garnet, amethyst, citrine, blue topaz and small peridot are all natural gems available at modest prices, which makes them ideal for everyday birthstone necklaces.
- Which birthstone is hardest and best for daily wear?
- Diamond (10 on the Mohs scale), then ruby and sapphire (9), then topaz (8) and emerald and aquamarine (7.5–8). Pearl (2.5–4) and opal (5–6.5) are the softest and are best set in pendants.
- Can you wear a birthstone that isn't your own?
- There is no rule against it. Many people wear a partner's, child's or parent's stone — a family birthstone necklace does exactly that.
- Are zodiac stones the same as birthstones?
- No. Zodiac stones follow sun signs, which cross two calendar months, so they often differ from the month-based birthstone list.
- How do I clean a birthstone necklace?
- Warm water, a drop of mild soap and a soft brush suits most hard stones. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners for emerald, opal, pearl, turquoise and tanzanite, and wipe pearls with a damp cloth instead of soaking them.
- Does the birthstone list differ between countries?
- Yes. The British, American and older European lists differ on several months, and Hindu Vedic astrology uses a separate system of nine navaratna gems.
- What metal suits birthstone jewelry best?
- Warm yellow gold flatters red, orange, green and turquoise stones; white gold and platinum sharpen blue, violet and colorless stones. 18k gold or solid gold vermeil holds up better than plating on a piece worn daily.
One question per month
- What is January's birthstone?
- January's birthstone is garnet, traditionally a deep red gem, though garnets also occur in green, orange, pink and purple. Read the January birthstone guide.
- What is February's birthstone?
- February's birthstone is amethyst, the violet-purple variety of quartz. Read the February birthstone guide.
- What is March's birthstone?
- March has two birthstones: aquamarine and bloodstone. Aquamarine is the modern and far more common choice. Read the March birthstone guide.
- What is April's birthstone?
- April's birthstone is diamond, the hardest natural gemstone at 10 on the Mohs scale. Read the April birthstone guide.
- What is May's birthstone?
- May's birthstone is emerald, a vivid green beryl. Read the May birthstone guide.
- What is June's birthstone?
- June has three birthstones: pearl, alexandrite and moonstone. Pearl is the traditional and most widely worn June birthstone. Read the June birthstone guide.
- What is July's birthstone?
- July's birthstone is ruby, a red corundum gem that rates 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. Read the July birthstone guide.
- What is August's birthstone?
- August's birthstone is peridot, a yellow-green gem. Spinel and sardonyx are also recognized August birthstones. Read the August birthstone guide.
- What is September's birthstone?
- September's birthstone is sapphire, most famously blue but available in nearly every color except red. Read the September birthstone guide.
- What is October's birthstone?
- October's birthstones are opal and tourmaline, with pink tourmaline the most popular tourmaline choice. Read the October birthstone guide.
- What is November's birthstone?
- November's birthstones are topaz and citrine, both typically warm yellow to orange. Read the November birthstone guide.
- What is December's birthstone?
- December has several birthstones — turquoise, tanzanite, blue zircon and blue topaz — plus lapis lazuli on the traditional list. All of them are blue. Read the December birthstone guide.