Birthstones by Month: Where They Come From and How to Pick One

In brief: the modern birthstone list assigns every calendar month at least one gemstone, starting with garnet in January and ending with turquoise, tanzanite and zircon in December. American jewellers set the list down in 1912, and it has been adjusted a few times since. Here in Pakistan a lot of our customers also follow the Vedic rashi system, where the stone comes from your moon sign and its ruling planet, not your birth month. The two lists share some stones but they are different things. Pick the month stone for a gift or for its meaning, and the rashi stone if astrology is the reason you are buying.

For a one-glance table, use our find your birthstone page. This article is the longer version: how the custom started, what each stone actually is, what it has stood for over the centuries, what to look for when you buy, and where the Western list meets the rashi list.

Where the custom came from

• Aaron's breastplate. The Book of Exodus describes a breastplate worn by the high priest, set with twelve stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. Most histories of birthstones begin here.
• Linking stones to months. In the first centuries AD, writers tied those twelve stones to the twelve months and the zodiac signs. For a long time people who could afford it kept a full set and changed stones each month.
• One stone per person. Somewhere around the eighteenth century, wearing just the stone of your own birth month caught on in parts of Europe. Poland is the country usually named.
• The 1912 list. The American National Association of Jewelers published a standard list that year. Alexandrite was added for June in 1952, tanzanite for December in 2002 and spinel for August in 2016.

Our own part of the world has a far older system. Jyotish astrology uses the navaratna, nine gems for nine planetary influences, and the stone is chosen from your birth chart rather than the calendar. We explain it properly in gemstones by rashi.

Month by month

January – Garnet

Garnet is a family of minerals, not a single one. The January reds you usually see are almandine and pyrope, and rhodolite brings a raspberry shade. People have worn garnet for thousands of years, from ancient Egypt through to Mughal pieces, and travellers used to carry one for protection on the road. It has traditionally stood for protection, energy and loyalty. When buying, look for a clear, bright red that hasn't gone too dark. Garnet is almost never treated, so it is one of the simplest stones to buy. Browse garnet or read our January birthstone guide.

February – Amethyst (jamunia)

Amethyst is purple quartz, and it has a long history with royalty and with bishops. The Greeks connected it to staying sober, and the name is usually translated as "not drunk". It stands for calm, clear thinking and balance. The best colour is a deep, even purple that throws little flashes of red. Keep it out of hard sunlight for long periods, because it can fade. See amethyst and the February birthstone guide.

March – Aquamarine (beruj)

Aquamarine is blue beryl, and sailors have long linked it with the sea. Northern Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan in particular, produces clean and very good-looking aquamarine crystals. It has stood for courage, calm and safe travel. A pure blue with no green in it is what people pay most for. A lot of aquamarine is gently heated to take the green out, and that is an accepted practice. See aquamarine and the March birthstone guide.

April – Diamond (heera)

Diamond is the hardest natural material we know, and it has long meant strength and love that lasts. If you want something different, natural white sapphire (people here often call it safed pukhraj) is hardness 9, bright and colourless. In Vedic practice it is sometimes worn in place of diamond for Venus. Our April birthstone alternatives article covers the options.

May – Emerald (zamurd / panna)

Emerald is green beryl. Ancient Egypt valued it, and the Mughal emperors had carved emeralds that people still travel to see. It stands for renewal, wisdom and love. Inclusions are normal in emerald, so if someone offers you a flawless one cheaply, be suspicious. Swat, in our own north, is known for small stones with strong colour. Read how to identify a natural emerald, the May birthstone guide, or browse emerald.

June – Pearl (moti), moonstone and alexandrite

June gets three. Pearl forms inside a mollusc and was one of the first gems people ever wore. Moonstone is a feldspar with a soft blue-white glow that seems to float inside it. Alexandrite is a rare chrysoberyl that looks green in daylight and turns red under warm incandescent light. Between them they stand for purity, intuition and balance, and pearl and moonstone are both tied to the Moon. A quick check for pearl: rub it very gently on the edge of a tooth and a real one usually feels a little gritty. Good moonstone has a sheen that slides across the stone as you tilt it. See pearl, moonstone and the June birthstone guide.

July – Ruby (yaqoot)

Ruby is red corundum, often called the king of gems, and in Vedic tradition it belongs to the Sun. It stands for passion, vitality and courage. Colour decides the value, so a small ruby with vivid colour usually beats a big dull one. Stay away from glass-filled stones being passed off as ruby. Read our ruby guide, the July birthstone guide, or browse ruby.

August – Peridot (zabarjad) and spinel

Peridot only ever comes in green, anywhere from olive to lime, and it has even turned up in meteorites. Some of the best peridot of recent decades has been mined in Kohistan, in northern Pakistan. Spinel joined the August list in 2016 and comes in reds, pinks and blues. Together they stand for good health, good fortune and protection. Choose a lively green with no brown in it, and don't expose peridot to sudden changes of temperature. See peridot and the August birthstone guide.

September – Blue sapphire (neelam)

Neelam has long been worn by kings and clergy, and in Jyotish it is Saturn's stone. It stands for wisdom, loyalty and discipline. Sri Lankan sapphire is a classic choice, but any claim about where a stone came from needs a laboratory report behind it. Read sapphire origins, neelam benefits, the September birthstone guide, or browse blue sapphire.

October – Opal and tourmaline

A good opal can show every colour of the spectrum moving across a single stone. Pink tourmaline was added later as a tougher option, and tourmaline in many colours comes out of Pakistan's northern areas. Both stand for creativity and hope. Judge an opal by how bright its play-of-colour is and how much of the stone it covers. Watch out for doublets, a thin slice of opal glued to a backing, being sold as solid opal. See opal, tourmaline and the October birthstone guide.

November – Topaz and citrine

Two golden stones, both linked with warmth, plenty and friendship. Topaz is the harder of the two at 8 and often the brighter. Citrine is yellow quartz, hardness 7, and costs less. Be clear about which one you are buying. Citrine and yellow topaz are both regularly sold as cheap stand-ins for pukhraj, which is yellow sapphire. See topaz, citrine and the November birthstone guide.

December – Turquoise (feroza), tanzanite and zircon

Feroza has been worn for protection across Persia, Central Asia and our region for thousands of years, and Persian Nishapuri feroza is the one people admire most. Tanzanite, mined commercially only near Merelani in Tanzania, adds a violet-blue, and blue zircon is the third choice. All three stand for protection and good luck. A lot of turquoise on the market is stabilised or dyed, so look for the natural variation a real stone has. Tanzanite is fairly soft and is better in a pendant or earrings than a ring. See feroza, tanzanite and the December birthstone guide.

Where the month list meets the rashi list

One is a jewellery custom and the other is an astrological recommendation. These are the places they touch:

If astrology is your reason, go by your rashi and have a qualified astrologer read your chart. If you are buying a gift with some meaning to it, or you just love the colour, the month list works perfectly well.

How to buy a birthstone sensibly

1. Buy natural. A synthetic or a piece of glass has nothing to do with the tradition. Authentic Gems sells natural loose stones only, and we check each one ourselves. Our authenticity page explains how.
2. Think about where it will be worn. Garnet, sapphire, ruby, topaz and aquamarine are fine in a daily ring. Opal, pearl, turquoise, moonstone and tanzanite are safer in pendants and earrings.
3. Ask what has been done to it. Heated aquamarine and sapphire are normal. Glass-filled ruby and dyed turquoise should be declared and priced to match.
4. Work out the per-carat rate. Price divided by carat weight lets you compare a small stone with a bigger one fairly.
5. Think about the setting early. If you want a custom silver ring, message us on WhatsApp and we can talk it through.
6. Read the return terms. Our 7-day return policy covers stones sent back unused, in their original condition and packaging.

Every birthstone we have is in the shop, each one a single stone photographed as it is, with its own weight and price. We are in Karachi, so orders in Karachi usually arrive in 1–2 working days, and we send Cash on Delivery to Lahore, Islamabad and every other city in Pakistan for a flat Rs. 500. Not sure which stone fits a birthday or a budget? Ask us.