Birthstones by Month
Every month has its stone, its colour and its meaning. Here is the full UK list, from January garnet to December turquoise, and how to wear one that lasts.
This is the complete list, month by month, with the colour and the traditional meaning of each stone. A quick note before you scroll: the UK birthstone list is not quite the same as the American one. The UK version was set by the National Association of Goldsmiths in 1937, and it gives a main stone for each month with a few accepted alternatives. Where a month has more than one, we have said so.
Use the chart to find yours at a glance, then read on for what each stone means and how to wear it.
The birthstone chart
| Month | Birthstone | Colour | Traditionally means |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | Deep red | Protection and steadfast friendship |
| February | Amethyst | Purple | Calm, clarity and a steady head |
| March | Aquamarine | Pale sea-blue | Courage and calm waters |
| April | Diamond | Colourless | Strength and enduring love |
| May | Emerald | Rich green | Renewal, love and wisdom |
| June | Pearl or moonstone | Cream, white | Purity and new beginnings |
| July | Ruby | Vivid red | Passion, vitality and protection |
| August | Peridot | Lime green | Lightness, strength and good fortune |
| September | Sapphire | Royal blue | Wisdom, loyalty and truth |
| October | Opal or tourmaline | Iridescent | Creativity, hope and spontaneity |
| November | Topaz or citrine | Golden yellow | Warmth, abundance and clarity |
| December | Turquoise or tanzanite | Sky blue | Luck, protection and calm |
UK list, per the National Association of Goldsmiths. Alternatives shown where a month traditionally has more than one stone.
Month by month
Garnet
A deep, glowing red, the colour of a good burgundy. Garnet has long been worn as a stone of protection and loyal friendship, given to people who show up when it matters. It sits beautifully in yellow gold and reads warm against winter skin.
Shop January birthstone jewelleryAmethyst
Purple, from the palest lilac to a deep violet. Amethyst is the calm-head stone, associated for centuries with clarity and a level temper. Understated enough for every day, rich enough to feel considered.
Shop February birthstone jewelleryAquamarine
A pale, clear sea-blue that catches the light like shallow water. Its name means sea-water, and it has always been tied to courage and calm. One of the easiest coloured stones to wear day to day.
Shop March birthstone jewelleryDiamond
The birthday most people would happily draw. Diamond stands for strength and enduring love, and being colourless, it goes with everything you own. Set into solid gold, an April birthstone is a piece worn for decades.
Shop April birthstone jewelleryEmerald
A rich, unmistakable green. Emerald has meant renewal, love and wisdom since antiquity, and few stones look more expensive for their size. Stunning in yellow gold, which flatters the green.
Shop May birthstone jewelleryPearl or moonstone
June gets two of the softest stones there are. Pearl for purity and new beginnings, moonstone for its milky, shifting glow. Both read quiet and timeless, and both suit someone who prefers understatement.
Shop June birthstone jewelleryRuby
The most vivid red in the box, and one of the most precious stones of all. Ruby has stood for passion, vitality and protection across nearly every culture. A July birthstone is never subtle, in the best way.
Shop July birthstone jewelleryPeridot
A bright lime-green with a hint of gold, quite unlike any other stone. Peridot is tied to lightness, strength and good fortune, and it has a fresh, summery quality that lives up to its month.
Shop August birthstone jewellerySapphire
A deep royal blue, the stone of wisdom, loyalty and truth. Sapphire is hard-wearing as well as beautiful, which makes it one of the best coloured stones for something worn every day.
Shop September birthstone jewelleryOpal or tourmaline
Opal shifts through every colour at once, which is why it is tied to creativity and spontaneity. Tourmaline, the alternative, comes in more shades than any other gem. October births get the most playful choice on the list.
Shop October birthstone jewelleryTopaz or citrine
Two warm golden stones for the darkest month. Topaz and citrine both glow amber to honey-yellow and carry meanings of warmth, abundance and clarity. They look as though they hold a little light of their own.
Shop November birthstone jewelleryTurquoise or tanzanite
Turquoise, a warm sky-blue, has been worn as a protective, lucky stone for thousands of years. Tanzanite, the modern alternative, is a rarer violet-blue found in only one place on earth. Either makes a striking December piece.
Shop turquoise jewelleryHow to wear a birthstone, and gift one
A birthstone is one of the few gifts you can buy with real confidence, because the recipient has already chosen it for you by being born when they were. For a new baby, a mother often wears the birthstone rather than the child. For a milestone, layering two or three family birthstones on one chain quietly tells a whole story.
The one thing worth getting right is the setting. A birthstone is for keeping, so it belongs in solid gold rather than plate, where the stone is held securely and the piece can be worn daily for years without the finish wearing away. If you are buying for someone with softer stones like pearl, opal or turquoise, a pendant takes far less knocking about than a ring.
A stone that is already yours
Every Argent & Asher birthstone piece is handcrafted to order in solid, hallmarked gold, so the stone that means something to you is set to last a lifetime, not a season.
Shop Birthstone JewelleryBirthstone questions, answered
What is my birthstone?
Your birthstone is set by 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, and December turquoise. Some months have accepted alternatives, listed in the chart above.
Why do some months have two birthstones?
Because the lists were written at different times and places. The UK list (National Association of Goldsmiths, 1937) allows alternatives for several months, and modern additions like tanzanite for December have been adopted since. June, October, November and December all have more than one accepted stone.
Are UK and US birthstones different?
Slightly. The American list was standardised in 1912 and the UK list in 1937, so a few months differ in their alternatives. The main stones are largely the same. This page follows the UK list.
Is it bad luck to wear a birthstone that isn't yours?
Not at all. That is an old superstition with no basis. Many people wear the birthstones of their children, partner or parents, and layering family birthstones on one chain is one of the most meaningful ways to wear them.
What is the best birthstone jewellery for everyday wear?
A pendant or necklace in solid gold, with a durable stone. Harder stones like sapphire, ruby and diamond take daily wear easily. Softer stones such as pearl, opal and turquoise are best worn as necklaces or earrings rather than rings, where they are less likely to be knocked.
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