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.
January birthstoneAmethyst
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.
February birthstoneAquamarine
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.
March birthstoneDiamond
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.
April birthstoneEmerald
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.
May birthstonePearl 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.
June birthstoneRuby
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.
July birthstonePeridot
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.
August birthstoneSapphire
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.
September birthstoneOpal 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.
October birthstoneTopaz 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.
November birthstoneTurquoise 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.
December birthstoneWhere birthstones come from
The idea is far older than modern jewellery. It traces back to the Breastplate of Aaron described in the Book of Exodus, a ceremonial garment set with twelve gemstones, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Over the centuries, scholars linked those twelve stones first to the twelve signs of the zodiac and then to the twelve months of the year.
The custom of wearing the stone for your own birth month grew from there, taking hold in Europe a few hundred years ago. What began as religious symbolism slowly became one of the most personal traditions in jewellery: a stone that is yours by birth, before you have chosen anything at all.
Traditional, modern and UK birthstones
You will sometimes see more than one stone claimed for a month, and that is simply because several lists exist side by side. Traditional birthstones are the older, historic associations built up over centuries. Modern birthstones come from the list standardised by American jewellers in 1912, later updated to add more available and affordable options. The UK list, set by the National Association of Goldsmiths in 1937, sits slightly apart again, and is the one this guide follows.
The differences are small and touch only a handful of months, almost always in the alternatives rather than the main stone. So wherever you see two stones for a month, both are correct. Choose the one you are drawn to.
Birthstones and star signs
Birthstones and zodiac stones are often confused, and they are not quite the same thing. A birthstone is tied to a calendar month; a zodiac stone is tied to a star sign, and because each sign straddles the end of one month and the start of the next, the two systems never line up exactly. Many people happily wear both, or choose whichever meaning speaks to them more. If you were born on the cusp, you have a fair claim to either stone, which is one of the quiet pleasures of the tradition. Our zodiac necklaces sit naturally alongside a birthstone piece.
How 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.
What is the rarest birthstone?
Several stones are contenders. Tanzanite, a December alternative, is found in only one place on earth. Alexandrite, a June alternative, is prized for changing colour from green to red in different light. Among the main twelve, emerald and ruby are the most precious.
What is the difference between a birthstone and a zodiac stone?
A birthstone is tied to your birth month, while a zodiac stone is tied to your star sign. Because the star signs cross between two months, the two do not line up exactly, so your birthstone and zodiac stone may differ. Both are valid, and many people wear whichever they prefer.
Where does the birthstone tradition come from?
It traces back to the Breastplate of Aaron in the Book of Exodus, set with twelve gemstones for the twelve tribes of Israel. Over time these were linked to the twelve months and zodiac signs, and the custom of wearing the stone for your birth month grew from there.
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