Each birth month of the year is represented by a unique gemstone, known as a birthstone. Individual birthstones have special meanings as well as unique attributes and can be worn to represent the unique characteristics of the wearer. It has long been a widely accepted belief that wearing your birthstone is a symbol of wellness and good fortune, bringing the owner good luck and warding off bad karma and illness. Typically, each month’s birthstone features a distinctive color, but some gemstones come in a wide array of hues.
Read on to learn about each month’s official birthday gemstone, including its corresponding color and meaning.
January Birthstone: Garnet
Garnet is the official birthstone for January and signifies protection, friendship, trust, commitment, and love. Garnet is also said to keep the wearer safe during travel. Garnet jewels are made from silicate and come in a variety of colors with deep, rich red garnets being the most common. Learn more about the garnet birthstone for January >>>
February Birthstone: Amethyst
Amethyst is the official birthstone for February. The amethyst gemstone is believed to strengthen relationships and give its wearer courage. Amethysts come in varying shades of purple, a hue that’s widely recognized to symbolize power, wealth, royalty, and dominance. Learn more about the amethyst birthstone for February >>>
March Birthstone: Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the official birthstone for March and signifies hope, health, youth, and fidelity. Aquamarine jewels are reminiscent of the sea, ranging in color from light blue to deep blue. Learn more about the aquamarine birthstone for March >>>
April Birthstone: Diamond
Diamond is the official birthstone for April and a symbol of eternal love. Harder than any other mineral found in nature, diamonds are made from carbon and come in a range of colors, but colorless diamonds are the most popular. Learn more about the birthstone for April >>>
May Birthstone: Emerald
Emerald is the official birthstone for May and is considered to be a symbol of love and rebirth. The vibrant green color of the emerald is reminiscent of the lushness associated with May and the spring season. The value of the emerald is directly correlated to its color — the deeper and more vivid the green, the more valuable the gemstone. Learn more about the emerald birthstone for May >>>
June Birthstone: Pearl, Alexandrite & Moonstone
Those born in June have three official birthstones: pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone. Cultured pearls come in a range of beautiful colors and represent purity, loyalty, integrity, and generosity. Moonstone is also available in a variety of colors and is known as a stone of inner strength and growth, enhancing intuition and promoting inspiration, success, and good fortune. Referred to as the “color-changing gem” because its color changes according to the lighting, alexandrite is said to inspire creativity and the imagination while strengthening intuition. Learn more about the pearl birthstone, alexandrite birthstone, and moonstone birthstone for June >>>
July Birthstone: Ruby
Ruby is the official birthstone for July and represents courage, wisdom, love, and passion. Rubies signify life and blood and are believed to increase courage. The ruby is one of the most valuable and historically significant of the colored gemstones. The beautiful, bright red color of the ruby is its most important feature. Learn more about the ruby birthstone for July >>>
August Birthstone: Peridot & Spinel
Peridot and Spinel are the official birthstones for August. Peridot features a bold, lime green color while Spinel is available in a range of colors. Peridot symbolizes strength and is believed to instill power and influence in its wearer. Spinel is a stone of hope, revitalization, and joy and is thought to protect the wearer from harm. Learn more about the peridot birthstone and spinel birthstone for August >>>
September Birthstone: Sapphire
Sapphire is the official birthstone for September and represents honesty, loyalty, purity, and trust. Sapphire jewels are most commonly associated with a rich blue hue, but they are available in a rainbow of colors. Learn more about the sapphire birthstone for September >>>
October Birthstone: Tourmaline & Opal
Those born in October have two official birthstones to choose from – tourmaline and opal. Tourmaline is said to be a stone of reconciliation, fostering calmness and compassion, while opal symbolizes confidence, reliability, and faithfulness. Tourmaline gemstones are available in a wide variety of beautiful colors with the most common being a shade of pink. Opal gemstones have the unique ability to display several colors in one gem, creating a one-of-a-kind color combination. Learn more about the tourmaline birthstone and opal birthstone for October >>>
November Birthstone: Citrine & Topaz
Topaz and citrine are the official birthstones for November. Topaz jewels come in a range of colors, including yellow, blue, green, grey, and more. In the past, the golden topaz gemstone has been associated with the sun god, giving it the power to heal and protect. Ranging in color from yellow to brownish-orange, citrine gemstones are known as the merchant’s stone and signify success and prosperity. Learn more about the citrine birthstone for November >>>
December Birthstone: Blue Topaz, Tanzanite, Zircon & Turquoise
Those born during December have multiple birthstones to choose from: blue topaz, tanzanite, zircon, and turquoise. The blue topaz birthstone is believed to ensure long life, beauty and intelligence. Tanzanite has a vibrant, velvety blue color with overtones of purple and is said to be a stone of judgment and long life, promoting wisdom, dignity, truth, and spiritual mastery. While zircon is available in an array of colors, blue zircon is the most common and helps to clear the mind, remove stress, and restore purity. Lastly, turquoise is a symbol of friendship and promotes self-realization and creative problem-solving.
Birthstone jewelry is a wonderful way to commemorate your birth month and also makes a thoughtful gift for family members and friends, both young and old. Whether it be a simple necklace or a statement pair of earrings, there is a birthstone accessory available to suit every taste. The rich, bold colors of the gemstones themselves paired with the deep symbolism behind each birthstone make for a meaningful and welcome addition to any jewelry collection.
If you need help picking out a piece of birthstone jewelry, one of our jewelry experts would be happy to assist you. Stop into our store or text or call 402.391.0400 during store hours to speak with one of our friendly and knowledgeable sales associates.
