Birthstone jewelry has always been extremely popular. Many people find special meaning in their gemstones. A birthstone necklace, ring, earrings, or bracelet would make a great gift for a loved one. Show them just how important they are to you with a custom made piece.
The first birthstones were thought to come from the breastplate of Aaron, symbolizing the signs of the Zodiac and the tribes of Israel. The modern birthstone was set as a standard in 1912 by the American National Association of Jewelers. They met and adopted the official list. A few times over the last century there have been updates and additions.
shop for Jewelry by birthstone
See the list of modern birthstones by month below.
January- Garnet
Color: Dark red
Meaning: Protection
Garnet brings purity, truth, faithfulness and friendship.
Garnets are typically known for being a burgundy red color, but they actually come in many colors like green, yellow, and even dark brown. Garnets have a high refractive index, which gives onlookers the impression that the gem is emitting light. Garnet is derived from the Latin word meaning grain or seed, and a possible reference to a pomegranate. Red garnets were the most popular gemstone of the end of the Roman Empire. Tsavorite garnets are green in color and found in Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Antarctica. The stones are know to have inclusions. Large sizes are very rare and valuable.
It also a present for 2nd anniversary.
February- Amethyst
Color: Purple
Meaning: Wisdom
Amethyst is said to bring good luck, stability, and intuition.
Amethyst comes in a variety of purples, from light lavender to deep dark purple. The hue comes from iron, trace elements, and natural radiation. Amethyst is a semi-precious gemstone in the quartz family, and it can be found all over the world. Africa is the leading supplier of amethysts today, with rich purple gems coming in pink & red hues. Uruguay is another supplier of amethysts, which have an electric blue flash. Amethyst is said to be derived from the Greek word meaning intoxication. The Greeks believed that wearing an amethyst would protect them from becoming drunk. They have been set into jewelry since ancient Egypt and continue to be very popular today. Amethyst is the hardest gemstone to test for authenticity.
It is also a present for the 6th wedding anniversary.
March- Aquamarine or Bloodstone
Aquamarine-
Color: Blue or cyan
Meaning: Serenity
Aquamarine represents sympathy, trust, harmony, and friendship.
Aquamarine comes in a great variety of blues. From translucent blue to a sea blue/green. This makes it a perfect accent for spring fashion. Aquamarine comes from the beryl family, the same family as the emerald. The blue color comes from iron deposits where the stone is formed. The most common mines are in Brazil, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. Usually, it is found in large, clear crystals. The larger sized stones have more intense colors. Darker colors are harder to find naturally, but the value of the deeper colors has led to heat treatment to enhance the dark color. The name comes from the Latin words “aqua,” which means water, and “marina,” which means the sea. Sailors believed in its protection and brought it on voyages. representing serenity, courage, and maritime protection.
It is also a present for the 19th wedding anniversary.
Bloodstone-
Color: Dark green with red, brown, and multicolored spots
Meaning: Creativity & protection
Bloodstone represents knowledge.
Bloodstones are usually cut into cabochons, but can be cut into faceted stones if they are of very high quality. They are part of the chalecodony family. This family consists of thin layers of tiny quartz fibers. Because of these fibers, it is very tough and recognized as an excellent carving material. In the Middle Ages, the red spots in the stone were thought to be the blood of Jesus, and the stone was thought to have miraculous powers. They are mostly sourced from India, Brazil, and Australia.
April-Diamond
Color: White, black, pink, yellow, blue
Meaning: Strength
Diamonds represent true love, passion, and spirituality.
Diamonds are the most expensive, precious, and coveted gemstones. They are also extremely luminous. The colorless beauty and inner fire of the diamond have made this precious gem prized for centuries. Diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring material, and they are made from carbon. Because of their hardness, they are also used in the industry for cutting and polishing tools. Most diamonds were formed between 1 billion and 3.5 billion years ago at depths between 93-155 miles in the Earth’s mantle. The name diamond is derived from the Greek word ‘Adamas’, which means invincible. Originally, diamonds were only found in India in the 9th century BC. Around the time these sources were exhausted, Brazil eclipsed India in production. In the 1870s, diamonds were found in Africa. Production has increased over time. New mines have also started production, and they are located in Canada, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Russia. Today, most commercially viable diamond deposits are in Russia, Botswana, Australia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is the stone of commitment, faithfulness, and promise between partners. To find out more info about diamonds, check out our diamond guide.
It is also a present for the 10th, 60th & 75th wedding anniversaries.
May- Emerald
Color: Green
Meaning: Hope
Emerald symbolizes loyalty, faith, love, and friendship.
Emeralds are a rich and majestic green color because of trace amounts of chromium. The finest stones will be saturated and have a vivid hue. Emeralds are the rarest gemstones, and top, fine quality stones are even more valuable than diamonds. Emeralds are part of the beryl family, like aquamarine and morganite. The surface is very scratch resistant, but the crystal lattice that makes up the gem is prone to fracture from impacts. Emeralds are known to have inclusions and cloudiness because of this lattice. An emerald with no cracks visible to the naked eye is classified as flawless, even if there are flaws that can be identified using magnification. Because of the delicate nature of these stones, clean them gently with warm, soapy water and a soft brush. Always avoid ultrasonic cleaners, steam, and harsh chemicals that can damage the stone’s oils. They are typically mined in Colombia, Brazil, Afghanistan, and Zambia. Emeralds are named after the Latin word ‘esmaralda’, which translates roughly to green gem.
It is also a present for the 20th & 35th wedding anniversaries.
June- Pearl or Alexandrite or Moonstone
Pearl-
Color: White, pink, silver, cream, brown, green, blue, black, yellow, orange, red, gold, purple
Meaning: Purity
Pearls represent beauty, happiness, love, and wealth.
Pearls are the most loved gem, warm to the touch, and the only gem that is created by living creatures. Naturally occurring pearls are very rare; usually, they are cultured. Pearls are cultivated primarily for jewelry. They are made from multiple layers of nacre built-up. The thinner and more numerous the layers, the finer the luster of the pearl. The iridescence comes from the overlapping of layers, which breaks up the light falling on the surface. There are 4 main types of pearls. Freshwater and saltwater pearls look similar, but they come from different mollusks. They come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Kokichi Mikimoto is credited as the first man to create a cultured pearl.
It is also a present for the 3rd & 30th wedding anniversaries.
Alexandrite-
Color: Green to redish-purple depending on light
Meaning: Love & Luck
Alexandrite represents positive balance, self-esteem, and is a good omen.
Alexandrite is the color changing cousin in the Chrysoberyl family. The Alexandrite Gemstone has the unique characteristic of appearing green in the daylight and reddish-purple in artificial light. This phenomenon is called pleochroism. It is impossible to achieve the color change effect in a manmade stone. This gem was thought to be quite rare, but recently, they have been found in Africa. There does not seem to be any writings about Alexandrite in ancient texts. It was unknown until 1830, when it seems to have been discovered on the birthday of Czar Alexander II. The stone was named in his honor. Small, low quality stones can be a few hundred dollars, but large, high quality stones can be thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.
It is also a present for the 55th wedding anniversary.
Moonstone-
Color: Colorless to white, gray, brown, yellow, orange, green, or pink
Meaning: New beginnings & love
Moonstone brings balance, inner strength, and protection.
Moonstone is renowned for its adularescence, which is a billowy, moonlight-like sheen caused by light scattering between internal layers. The stone comes in a variety of types and colors. The clarity ranges from transparent to translucent, and each type has different colors reflected inside the stone. The most sought after moonstone has a blue sheen, perfect clarity, and a colorless body color. Moonstones can be beads, but they are most popularly cabochons. Moonstones can be mined in Armenia, Australia, Mexico, Madagascar, Myanmar, Norway, Poland, India, Sri Lanka, and the US. The various colors come from India, and the other sources yield only white moonstone stones. Ancient Romans believed it was formed from solidified moonlight and changed with the phases of the Moon. While Hindu legend considers it to be made of solidified moonbeams. Today, it is Florida’s state stone to commemorate the lunar moon landing, although it is not found in FL.
July- Ruby
Color: Red, pink
Meaning: Vitality
Ruby symbolizes wealth, wisdom, love, and passion.
A ruby is the most precious & rare mined mineral. It is a special form of corundum, the sapphire family. The color varies from pure red to purplish-red or orangish-red. The color comes from the chromium present in the ruby. Rubies with an insufficient amount of chromium are labelled ‘pink sapphires.’ Rubies command the highest price per carat of all the colored stones, making them the most expensive and prized stone in the world. The most valuable rubies are called pigeon-blood, after the dark red with blue undertones that make them look eerily like blood. The Burmese ruby has been a favorite for hundreds of years. It has been exported all around the world. Most rubies have been treated to enhance color and clarity. Totally inclusion-free rubies are rare. The inclusions are called silk. Large, high-quality, natural, untreated rubies over one carat are extremely rare and valuable. Today, most rubies are mined in Africa. Rubies have been popular since ancient times, with records showing that the Chinese traded them as early as 200 B.C. The ancient Hindus believed that they were endowed with sacred powers and associated them with royalty and power. Rubies are said to bring harmony to the wearer.
It is also a present for the 15th, 40th, & 80th wedding anniversaries.
August- Peridot or Spinel
Peridot-
Color: Lime, yellowish-green, olive green, or medium dark green
Meaning: Beauty
Peridot represents power, influence, healing, and understanding.
Peridot is a gem-quality olivine & silicate mineral. It is the only gem that comes in one color, olive-green. The intensity and tint of the green depend on the percentage of iron in the crystal structure. So the shade of the peridot can vary from yellow to brownish and even medium dark tones. It is one of the gems that is never treated for color. Mined around the world, some of the most beautiful Peridot comes from Asia and Pakistan. Gem-quality peridot is rare due to its chemical instability on Earth’s surface. It is one of the few gemstones that form deep within the Earth’s mantle, and it is brought to the surface by volcanic activity. It can also be found in meteorites. As a result, peridot is considered to be precious. Peridot is the same color in both natural and artificial light. This ability to give off the same green glow at night led to their association with great beauty, especially in Egyptian culture, where they associated it with the sun. The only beach in the world made of olivine sand is found on the Big Island of Hawaii. Peridot is believed to protect those who wear it from evil.
It is also a present for the 16th wedding anniversary.
Spinel-
Color: Colorless, pink, rose, red, blue, green, yellow, brown, black, or violet
Meaning: Hope
Spinel heightens your mental awareness and strengthens the connection you have to your physical and emotional body.
Spinel is a member of the larger spinel group of minerals. It possesses a high refractive index, giving it a brilliant, reflective sparkle. Spinels and rubies are often found together, and they often get mistaken for rubies. Over the last decades, they have been found in locations all over the world, but originally they were found in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Myanmar. Its name comes from the Latin word ‘spinella’, which means spine in reference to its pointed crystals. Common colors include red, pink, blue, purple, and black. Red is the most prized and historically famous. While cobalt blue and vibrant pink are also highly sought. Prices vary widely based on color, saturation, and origin. They can range from under $100 to over $5000 per carat for top-quality, untreated stones. Some spinels are among the most famous gemstones- like the Black Prince’s Ruby and the “Timur Ruby” in the British Crown Jewels, and the ‘Côte de Bretagne’, previously from the French Crown Jewels. The Samarian Spinel is the largest known spinel in the world, weighing 500 carats. Spinel is perfect to reach for when you’re feeling a lack of energy.
It is also a present for the 22nd wedding anniversary.
September- Sapphire
Color: Blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange, white, or greenish
Meaning: Truth
Sapphire symbolizes clear thinking, wisdom, prosperity and beauty.
Sapphire is a precious and durable stone that’s part of the corundum family. They come in a variety of colors (except red, which is a ruby) but are typically blue, a deep blue. The blue color comes from iron and titanium. Because of its hardness, sapphire also has industrial uses, like infrared optical components, watches, and circuits. Some Apple Watches feature lab-created sapphire crystal in their screen to make them more scratch-resistant. The hardness makes them good for everyday use. The cost of natural sapphires varies depending on their color, clarity, size, cut, and quality. Prices can range from commercial, smaller, affordable, dark colored, or treated stones to very high-end, rare, untreated Kashmir or Ceylon color sapphires. These higher end stones can rival or exceed diamond prices. Heat treatment is very common, and those that are completely untreated are worth far more. Sapphires are mined all over the world, and the geographical origin has a major impact on price. Since the Middle Ages, many people have given tribute to the sapphire for both medical and spiritual healing properties. It is a popular option for engagement rings since Princess Diana’s proposal ring in 1981. It is said that sapphire is a symbol of loyalty and integrity. It protects the wearer from envy or harm and gives the wearer useful foresight into the future.
It is also a present for the 5th, 45th & 70th wedding anniversary.
October- Tourmaline or Opal
Tourmaline-
Color: Multicolors
Meaning: Healing
Tourmaline represents love and friendship, and is said to render them firm and long-lasting.
Tourmaline is a semi-precious stone with the greatest range of colors found in nature. They can be found in any color! Bi-color and multi-color crystals are common. They can be pink at one end and green at the other; this type is called watermelon tourmaline. Along with the colors comes a range of prices. The rare, electric-blue “Paraiba” tourmaline is highly sought after and can exceed $10,000 per carat. Because no two tourmalines look alike, they were mistaken for other gems until the 1800’s when they were reclassified as a distinct mineral species. Before that, tourmalines had been confused for sapphires, emeralds, rubies, and other gems. It is now believed that the rubies in both the Russian & British Crown Jewels are now believed to be red tourmalines, also known as rubellite. The name comes from the word ‘thoramalli,’ which is applied to a group of gemstones found in the southern parts of the Indian Subcontinent. Gem and specimen tourmaline are mined chiefly in Brazil and Africa. Gemstones come from Sri Lanka and India, but they are also found in several other places around the world. Tourmaline is renowned for its three-sided prisms; no other common mineral has three sides. They are relatively hard and suitable for everyday wear.
It is also a present for the 8th wedding anniversary.
Opal-
Color: From milky white to dark black
Meaning: Desire
Opal imparts hope and harmony.
Opals, like tourmalines, can come in a variety of colors. The difference is that opal diffracts light and can display all the colors of the rainbow simultaneously. This is because of their unique make-up of light-bending, or defracting, microscopic silica spheres. There are two broad classes of opal: precious and common. Precious opals exhibit flashes of spectral color; common opals lack color. Red flashes are the rarest and most valuable color. Blue is more common. Opal gemstones are truly unique because each gem is adorned with a one-of-a-kind color combination. Black opal, with a black body, is considered the rarest, and white, grey, and green, transparent to a white body, are the most common. The four main types are black, white/light, fire, and Boulder opals. Most stones are cut into cabochons. An opal’s value ranges from very little to thousands of dollars. The word opal comes from the Greek ‘opallios,’ meaning ‘to see a change of color.’ Australia was originally the world’s producer of opals, but recently data suggests that Ethiopia is. Opals have been considered great luck throughout history, because it was thought to possess the value of all gemstones in the opal color spectrum.
It is also a present for the 14th wedding anniversary.
November- Topaz or Citrine
Topaz-
Color: Yellow, blue, pink, peach, gold, green, red & brown
Meaning: Joy
Topaz balances emotions, calms passions, releases tension & gives feelings of joy.
Topaz is a very hard stone that forms in columnar crystals, making it suitable for everyday wear. It also comes in a variety of colors, and because of this, it has wide use in jewelry and gemstone carvings. Pure topaz is colorless, but impurities can cause a range of colors. It sometimes gets confused with citrine, the less valuable gemstone. Impurities and variety of treatments can make topaz deep red, pale gray, reddish-orange, pale green, blue, or pink, which is rarest. Blue is the most common Imperial (reddish-orange to orange-red hues) are the most sought after. Topaz ranges from opaque to translucent/transparent. Stones are mined all over the world. Topaz has a relatively low refraction index for a gemstone, and stones with large facets or tables do not sparkle as well as stones cut from higher refractive minerals. The ancient Romans believed that topaz provided protection from danger while traveling. And in Europe in the Middle Ages, topaz was believed to enhance mental powers.
It is also a present for the 23rd wedding anniversary.
Citrine-
Color: Pale yellow to brownish-orange
Meaning: Happiness & Success
Citrine is believed to bring long life, fidelity and represents optimism & joy.
Citrine is part of the quartz family, and it is the rarest variety in its natural form. It has become the second most popular quartz, after amethyst, in jewelry. This popularity was due to the lack of affordable gold gems on the market. Many commercial citrines are not citrines at all, but heat treated amethysts. The color of the stones comes from iron in the crystal structure. Citrine comes in a variety of shades, from very light yellow to a burnt orange color. Some of the most sought-after Citrine gemstones have a clear, radiant yellowish to brownish-red color. The most desired Citrine is the Madeira citrine, a deep, burnt orange color, rich and full of beauty. Brazil is the leading producer of this gem. Citrine is derived from the Latin word ‘citrina,’ which means ‘yellow’ and is also the origin of the word ‘citron’. Citrine has also been known as the ‘merchant’s stone’ because it is said to attract prosperity and wealth. This bright shining gem has been said to be “a gift from the sun” or the “stone of happiness.”
It is also a present for the 13th wedding anniversary.
December- Turquoise, Blue Zircon or Tanzanite
Turquoise-
Color: Sky blue, shades of green
Meaning: Friendship
Turquoise is said to bring good health, fortune, and peace.
Turquoise is a very unique gem because it is never transparent and it is usually cut into cabochons, beads, or used in inlay. They are most commonly found in powder blue, sky blue, blue-green, and with or without matrix (black veins). Although they can be found in white and even yellowish green. The most prized color is sky blue. Iron content creates the green color, while copper causes blue. Turquoise has been highly valued for thousands of years by many cultures for art and jewelry, and it can be very costly. They were one of the first stones to be mined, and now many sites have been depleted. Navajo people believed turquoise stones were pieces of the sky that had fallen to Earth. It was introduced to the French by Venetian traders who had purchased the stones in modern day Iran (then a part of Turkey). Turquoise was widely traded because deposits are so rare. The only major turquoise deposits currently known are found in Iran, Egypt, the Southwestern United States, and China. It forms in dry, volcanic regions where acidic, copper-rich groundwater interacts with phosphorus and aluminum. Turquoise also has the unique distinction of having a color named after it, and not vice versa. It is very porous and can absorb skin oils or chemicals, which can darken it over time. Turquoise is also supposed to bring good fortune, good luck, and a happy life.
It is also a present for the 11th wedding anniversary.
Blue Zircon-
Color: Blue, vivid blue, pastel blue, sky blue & bright blue
Meaning: Purity
Blue Zircon is said to bring wisdom, honor and riches.
The natural color of zircon varies between colorless, yellow-golden, red, brown, blue, and green. Blue zircon is the most popular color, and as a blue stone, it has a very high refractive index, making it very sparkly. It also has outstanding brilliance and very strong fire. The blue color is produced by heating brown zircon. But not all brown zircon will turn blue when heated; only some zircon has the right physical structure for this to occur. Most blue zircon comes from Cambodia & Myanmar. Zircon is found worldwide, but often in heavy-mineral sands in Australia, China, Indonesia, South Africa, and Ukraine. It is one of the oldest minerals on Earth, with some samples found in Australia dating back 4.4 billion years. Although it’s a reasonably hard gem, Mohs hardness of 7-7.5, it is somewhat brittle and can be sensitive to bumps and pressure. Blue zircon has the tendency to wear along facet edges. In the Middle Ages, zircon was believed to help the wearer sleep and to bring prosperity, honor, and wisdom.
Tanzanite-
Color: Sapphire blue, violet & burgundy
Meaning: Truth & Wisdom
Tanzanite is known for knowledge, and connecting one with the spiritual world.
Tanzanite is only found in Tanzania, near Mt. Kilimanjaro, in a very small East African mining area of about 2 miles wide, meaning it is rare and costly to extract. 1,000 times rarer than diamonds. It can cost about $1500 per carat, but varies depending on the color intensity. Vivid-blue violet is the most desired, and it is often set in white gold to enhance its trichroic colors. Tanzanites can appear slightly different when viewed under different lighting conditions. Blues appear more evident when exposed to fluorescent light, and violet hues can be seen readily when viewed under incandescent light. In its rough state, tanzanite is colored a reddish brown to clear, and it requires heat treatment to remove the brownish ‘veil’ and bring out the blue violet of the stone. Mining is strictly controlled by the Tanzanian government, and the industry focuses on ensuring ethically sourced, conflict-free stones. The gemstone was given the name ‘tanzanite’ by Tiffany & Co. because they thought its scientific name wasn’t consumer friendly enough. It was introduced to the market in 1968. In 2002, the American Gem Trade Association chose tanzanite as a December birthstone, the first change to their birthstone list since 1912. It is said to be particularly helpful in uniting the mind and heart, teaching one to live from a compassionate heart with an illumined mind.
It is also a present for the 24th wedding anniversary.
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