Birthstones by Month
Pick a month to see its birthstones, their colors, and which stones older charts list instead.
Find your birthstone
⚠ Couldn't create the image. Try again or take a screenshot.
Birthstone chart
The current US list, month by month, with each stone's color. The last column shows stones that older charts list for that month.
⚠ Couldn't create the image. Try again or take a screenshot.
| Month | Birthstones | Colors | On older charts |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ January | Garnet |
| — |
| ▶ February | Amethyst |
| Hyacinth, Pearl |
| ▶ March | Aquamarine |
| Bloodstone, Jasper |
| ▶ April | Diamond |
| Sapphire |
| ▶ May | Emerald |
| Agate |
| ▶ June | Pearl, Moonstone, Alexandrite |
| Cat's eye, Turquoise, Agate |
| ▶ July | Ruby |
| Turquoise, Onyx |
| ▶ August | Peridot, Spinel |
| Sardonyx, Carnelian, Moonstone, Topaz |
| ▶ September | Sapphire |
| Chrysolite |
| ▶ October | Opal, Tourmaline |
| Aquamarine |
| ▶ November | Citrine, Topaz |
| Pearl |
| ▶ December | Turquoise, Tanzanite, Zircon |
| Lapis lazuli, Bloodstone, Ruby |
Why birthstone charts disagree
The US list started in 1912, and stones were added in 1952, 2002 and 2016. A chart made before a change, or one that mixes lists, shows different stones.
- 1912US jewelers (the group now called Jewelers of America) agree on one list in Kansas City. June is pearl and moonstone; December is turquoise and lapis lazuli.
- 1952Alexandrite (June) and citrine (November) are added, pink tourmaline is named for October, and zircon replaces lapis lazuli in December.
- 2002Tanzanite is added for December.
- 2016Spinel is added for August.
- TodayThe current US list leaves out bloodstone (March) and sardonyx (August), which were on the 1912 list. Many charts still show them.
- UKBritish jewelers set their own list in 1937 and updated it in 2013, so a UK chart can differ — October is opal only, for example.
A chart that lists only pearl and moonstone for June, or turquoise and lapis lazuli for December, is following the 1912 list.
Birthstones for each month
January
- Garnet — deep red (also orange, green)
January has one: garnet, on the US list since 1912.
February
- Amethyst — purple
February has one: amethyst, on the US list since 1912.
Older charts may show: Hyacinth, Pearl
March
- Aquamarine — pale blue
March has one: aquamarine, on the US list since 1912.
Bloodstone was on the 1912 list for March and many charts still show it, but it isn't on the current US list.
Older charts may show: Bloodstone, Jasper
UK list also has: Bloodstone
April
- Diamond — colorless
April has one: diamond, on the US list since 1912.
Older charts may show: Sapphire
UK list also has: Rock crystal
May
- Emerald — green
May has one: emerald, on the US list since 1912.
Older charts may show: Agate
UK list also has: Chrysoprase
June
- Pearl — white to cream
- Moonstone — milky white with a blue sheen
- Alexandrite — changes from green to red
June has three: pearl and moonstone from the 1912 list, and alexandrite, added in 1952.
Older charts may show: Cat's eye, Turquoise, Agate
July
- Ruby — red
July has one: ruby, on the US list since 1912.
Older charts may show: Turquoise, Onyx
UK list also has: Carnelian
August
- Peridot — yellow-green
- Spinel — red, pink, blue and more
August has two: peridot from the 1912 list, and spinel, added in 2016.
Sardonyx was on the 1912 list for August and many charts still show it, but it isn't on the current US list.
Older charts may show: Sardonyx, Carnelian, Moonstone, Topaz
UK list also has: Sardonyx
September
- Sapphire — blue
September has one: sapphire, on the US list since 1912.
Older charts may show: Chrysolite
UK list also has: Lapis lazuli
October
- Opal — flashes of many colors
- Tourmaline — pink (also green and many others)
October has two: opal and tourmaline from the 1912 list.
Pink tourmaline was named for October in 1952.
Older charts may show: Aquamarine
November
- Citrine — yellow to orange
- Topaz — yellow to orange (also blue)
November has two: topaz from the 1912 list, and citrine, added in 1952.
Older charts may show: Pearl
December
- Turquoise — sky blue to green-blue
- Tanzanite — violet-blue
- Zircon — blue
December has three: turquoise from the 1912 list; zircon, added in 1952; and tanzanite, added in 2002.
Some jewelers also sell blue topaz as a December stone. It isn't on the US list, where topaz is November's stone.
Older charts may show: Lapis lazuli, Bloodstone, Ruby
How this chart is put together
The current US list is the jewelers' list started in 1912, with the stones added since. "Older charts" combines the 1912 list with older customs from the 15th to the 20th century; the UK list is the British jewelers' list as updated in 2013. The color dots are only illustrations: each stone comes in a range of shades, so the color name next to each dot is the guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is my birthstone?
It's the stone for the month you were born. On the current US list: January garnet; February amethyst; March aquamarine; April diamond; May emerald; June pearl, moonstone or alexandrite; July ruby; August peridot or spinel; September sapphire; October opal or tourmaline; November citrine or topaz; December turquoise, tanzanite or zircon.
Why do some months have more than one birthstone?
The 1912 list already gave some months two stones, and later changes added more choices of color and price: alexandrite for June, citrine for November and zircon for December in 1952, tanzanite for December in 2002 and spinel for August in 2016. Every stone listed for a month counts the same; none is the main one.
What's the difference between modern and traditional birthstones?
Modern usually means the current US list. Traditional can mean the 1912 list or much older customs, so traditional charts don't all agree. The 1912 list had bloodstone for March and sardonyx for August, which aren't on the current list, and older customs give July turquoise and onyx instead of ruby.
Is blue topaz a December birthstone?
Not on the US list. Some jewelers sell blue topaz as a December stone, but topaz is November's birthstone. December's birthstones are turquoise, tanzanite and zircon.
Why does a UK birthstone chart look different?
British jewelers keep their own list, set in 1937 and updated in 2013. It has a few stones the US list doesn't, such as rock crystal for April and lapis lazuli for September, and leaves out some US stones, such as tourmaline for October.
Do zodiac signs have birthstones?
Some charts match stones to zodiac signs, but there's no single agreed list, and different charts give different stones for the same sign. This page uses birth months, which have one published US list.
Which stone should I choose if my month has two or three?
Any of them — they're all birthstones for that month. Pick the color you like or the one that fits your budget. Pearl and opal are softer than most gems, so they scratch more easily in a ring worn every day.