Birthstone Guide: What Each Month's Gem Means and Why People Wear Them
Every month has a gemstone attached to it, and people have been wearing their birth month's stone for centuries. The tradition goes back further than you'd guess. The modern birthstone list was standardized in 1912 by what's now called the Jewelers of America, but the idea of linking gems to calendar months traces to biblical times and the twelve stones in Aaron's breastplate.
At Vanhess Jewellery in Coquitlam, birthstone pieces are some of the most common gift requests we get. A mother's ring with her children's birthstones. A pendant for a 16th birthday. A pair of studs in someone's favourite colour they didn't realize was "their" stone. Here's every month, what the gem actually is, how hard it is (which tells you where you can wear it), and what people have believed about it over the years.
January: Garnet
Most people picture a dark red stone, but garnet actually comes in almost every colour except blue. The deep red variety (pyrope and almandine) is the most common in jewellery. Garnet sits at 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, which makes it durable enough for rings if you're reasonably careful. Ancient travellers carried garnet for protection on long journeys. In our shop, garnet pendants and earrings are popular January birthday picks because the deep red works year-round.
February: Amethyst
Purple quartz. That's what amethyst is, chemically. It was once considered as valuable as diamond and ruby, but large deposits discovered in Brazil in the 19th century made it widely available. It sits at 7 on the Mohs scale, solid for everyday wear. The ancient Greeks believed amethyst prevented intoxication. The name comes from the Greek word "amethystos," meaning "not drunk." Whether that works is between you and the stone. The colour ranges from pale lilac to deep violet, and the deeper shades tend to command higher prices.
March: Aquamarine
Named after seawater ("aqua marina" in Latin), aquamarine ranges from pale blue to blue-green. It's a variety of beryl, the same mineral family as emerald, but far more durable in practice because it doesn't have emerald's inclusions. Aquamarine rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale. Sailors historically believed it would calm waves and keep them safe at sea. Large clean stones are relatively affordable compared to other blue gems like sapphire, which makes aquamarine a solid choice for statement rings or pendants.
April: Diamond
The hardest natural material on earth, sitting alone at 10 on the Mohs scale. That number is a bit misleading because Mohs is ordinal, not linear. Diamond is roughly four times harder than the next stone down (corundum at 9). April babies get the stone that can take whatever you throw at it. Diamonds have been associated with strength and invincibility for thousands of years. The word comes from the Greek "adamas," meaning unconquerable. We carry diamonds in every budget range, from small accent stones in gold bands to solitaires. If you want the full breakdown on choosing one, our diamond cut guide covers what matters most.
May: Emerald
Emerald is beryl with chromium and sometimes vanadium, which gives it that signature green. It rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, but here's the catch: nearly all emeralds have natural inclusions (the trade calls them "jardin," French for garden). Those inclusions make the stone more brittle than the hardness number suggests. Emeralds need protective settings like bezel or halo, and they shouldn't go in ultrasonic cleaners. Cleopatra was famously obsessed with emeralds, and the Romans associated them with Venus. Today, Colombian emeralds with strong saturation are the most sought-after. For rings, we usually recommend a bezel setting to protect the stone's edges.
June: Pearl, Alexandrite, Moonstone
June gets three stones, and they couldn't be more different. Pearl is the only gem created by a living organism, formed when a mollusc coats an irritant with nacre. Pearls are soft (2.5 to 4.5 on Mohs), so they scratch easily and react to chemicals in perfume, hairspray, and sweat. Put pearls on last and take them off first. Our freshwater pearl collection includes earrings and pendants that work for everyday wear if you're gentle with them.
Alexandrite is the colour-change stone: green in daylight, reddish-purple under incandescent light. It sits at 8.5 on Mohs and is extremely rare. Fine alexandrite costs more per carat than most diamonds. Moonstone (6 to 6.5 on Mohs) has an internal glow called adularescence. It's beautiful in earrings and pendants but too soft for daily-wear rings.
July: Ruby
Ruby is corundum (same mineral as sapphire) coloured red by chromium. At 9 on the Mohs scale, it's second only to diamond in hardness. Ancient Hindus called ruby "ratnaraj," the king of precious stones. In Burma (Myanmar), warriors believed inserting rubies into their flesh made them invincible in battle. The most valued rubies are "pigeon blood" red with strong fluorescence. Ruby is one of the most durable stones you can put in any setting, from prong to channel. We see a lot of ruby accent stones in anniversary bands and right-hand rings.
August: Peridot, Spinel
Peridot is one of the few gems that comes in only one colour: green. The shade varies from yellowish to olive to brownish-green depending on iron content. It sits at 6.5 to 7 on Mohs, fine for earrings and pendants, a bit risky for everyday rings. The Egyptians called it the "gem of the sun" and mined it on an island in the Red Sea. Spinel (8 on Mohs) was added as an August birthstone in 2016 by the Jewelers of America. For centuries, spinel was confused with ruby. The famous "Black Prince's Ruby" in the British Crown Jewels is actually spinel.
September: Sapphire
When people say sapphire, they usually mean blue, but sapphire comes in every colour except red (which is ruby). Both are corundum, both are 9 on Mohs. Blue sapphire has been associated with wisdom, royalty, and divine favour across cultures. The most famous modern sapphire is the 12-carat oval in the engagement ring that went from Princess Diana to Kate Middleton. Kashmir sapphires command the highest prices, but Sri Lankan and Madagascar stones offer great colour at more accessible price points. Sapphire is one of our top recommendations for engagement rings if you want colour without sacrificing durability. We wrote more about that in our sapphire engagement ring guide.
October: Opal, Tourmaline
Opal is unlike any other gem. Its play-of-colour comes from microscopic silica spheres diffracting light into spectral colours. That internal structure also makes it fragile: 5 to 6.5 on Mohs, and it contains water (typically 3 to 21 percent), so it can crack if it dries out or experiences sudden temperature changes. Beautiful in pendants and earrings, but we don't recommend opal for rings unless it's in a substantial bezel setting and the wearer knows to baby it. Tourmaline (7 to 7.5 on Mohs) is the more practical October option. It comes in a staggering range of colours, including bi-coloured "watermelon" tourmaline that's pink in the centre and green on the outside.
November: Topaz, Citrine
Topaz in its pure form is colourless. The golden-orange "imperial topaz" is the most valued variety. Blue topaz, which dominates the market, is almost always treated (irradiated and heated from colourless). Topaz rates 8 on Mohs, so it's plenty hard for any setting, but it has perfect basal cleavage, meaning it can split along a plane if hit at the right angle. Handle with some awareness. Citrine (7 on Mohs) is the affordable alternative: warm yellow to brownish-orange quartz. Most citrine on the market is heat-treated amethyst. Natural citrine is pale yellow and much rarer. Both November stones pair well with yellow and rose gold.
December: Tanzanite, Turquoise, Zircon
December gets three options, all blue-leaning. Tanzanite (6 to 7 on Mohs) was discovered in Tanzania in 1967 and comes from a single source on earth. It shows different colours from different angles (pleochroism), typically shifting between blue, violet, and burgundy. Beautiful, but soft enough that it belongs in earrings and pendants rather than rings. Turquoise (5 to 6 on Mohs) is one of the oldest known gemstones, used in jewellery for over 5,000 years. It's porous and reacts to oils, perfume, and even skin chemistry. Zircon (6 to 7.5 on Mohs) is not cubic zirconia. Zircon is a natural mineral with fire and brilliance that rivals diamond. Blue zircon is the most popular December choice, and it's been used in jewellery since the Middle Ages.
Quick Reference: Birthstone Hardness and Best Uses
| Month | Stone(s) | Mohs Hardness | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | 6.5–7.5 | Rings, earrings, pendants |
| February | Amethyst | 7 | Rings, earrings, pendants |
| March | Aquamarine | 7.5–8 | Rings, earrings, pendants |
| April | Diamond | 10 | Any setting |
| May | Emerald | 7.5–8 (brittle) | Protective settings, earrings |
| June | Pearl / Alexandrite / Moonstone | 2.5–4.5 / 8.5 / 6–6.5 | Earrings, pendants (pearl); any (alexandrite) |
| July | Ruby | 9 | Any setting |
| August | Peridot / Spinel | 6.5–7 / 8 | Earrings, pendants (peridot); any (spinel) |
| September | Sapphire | 9 | Any setting |
| October | Opal / Tourmaline | 5–6.5 / 7–7.5 | Pendants, earrings (opal); rings OK (tourmaline) |
| November | Topaz / Citrine | 8 / 7 | Rings, earrings, pendants |
| December | Tanzanite / Turquoise / Zircon | 6–7 / 5–6 / 6–7.5 | Earrings, pendants (all three) |
Key Takeaways
- Hardness matters for how you wear a stone. Anything below 7 on Mohs should stay out of daily-wear rings. Earrings and pendants are safer choices for softer gems like opal, pearl, and turquoise.
- Some months have multiple birthstones because the original stones were too rare or expensive for most buyers. June and December each have three options at wildly different price points.
- The modern birthstone list was standardized in 1912, but the tradition of birth-month gems goes back thousands of years to the breastplate of the high priest Aaron in the Book of Exodus.
- Colour preferences are personal. If you hate your month's stone, wear whatever you want. Nobody is checking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wear a birthstone that isn't my birth month?
Yes. There are no rules. The birthstone tradition is a fun starting point for choosing a gem, but it's not binding. We sell birthstone pieces to people buying for themselves and for gifts, and the recipient's preference matters more than the calendar.
Which birthstones are safe for everyday rings?
At Vanhess Jewellery, we recommend stones rated 7 or higher on the Mohs hardness scale for rings worn daily. That includes diamond (10), ruby and sapphire (9), topaz and spinel (8), aquamarine (7.5–8), garnet (6.5–7.5, upper end), amethyst (7), tourmaline (7–7.5), and citrine (7). Softer stones like opal, pearl, moonstone, and turquoise are better as earrings or pendants.
Why do some months have more than one birthstone?
The Jewelers of America and other trade organizations added alternatives over the years to give buyers more accessible options. The original 1912 list had some stones that were extremely rare (alexandrite) or impractical (bloodstone for March). Additions like tanzanite (added for December in 2002) and spinel (added for August in 2016) reflect evolving tastes and availability.
What's the most expensive birthstone?
Alexandrite, if you can find a natural one. Fine colour-change alexandrite with strong green-to-red shift regularly sells for $10,000 to $70,000+ per carat at auction. Ruby and emerald also command premium prices for top-quality specimens. On the other end, amethyst and citrine are among the most affordable, with attractive stones available for well under $100 per carat.
Sources
- GIA — Birthstones by Month
- International Gem Society — Mohs Hardness Scale for Select Gems
- American Gem Society — Traditional Birthstone Chart
- The Old Farmer's Almanac — Birthstones by Month: Meaning, History, and Symbolism
Data sourced April 2026. If you spot something out of date, let us know — we update guides as the trade evolves.
Visit Vanhess
We carry birthstone jewellery in gold, sterling silver, and custom settings. If you're shopping for a birthday, anniversary, or mother's ring with multiple stones, come see us at 2929 Barnet Highway, Unit 2424, Coquitlam BC. We can show you the stones in person, which matters — colour on a screen is never quite right. Browse our ring collection or pendants online, or call us at (604) 653-6449.
