Shop now, pay later
The birthstones by month meaning tradition ties each of the twelve months to a specific gemstone, with roots reaching back to the breastplate of Aaron described in the Book of Exodus. The modern list used across the US was standardized by the Jewelers of America in 1912 and updated with additions in 2002 (tanzanite), 2016 (spinel), and 2021 (December’s blue zircon reaffirmation). Below you’ll find the symbolism, color range, and mineral facts for each month.
At SilverRush Style, we’ve set natural stones into sterling silver jewelry since 2005, so the notes here reflect what we handle daily at the bench.
January Through April: Winter Into Spring
January — Garnet
Garnet symbolizes trust, friendship, and safe travel, a meaning carried by medieval travelers who wore it as protection. The stone is a silicate group (almandine, pyrope, spessartine) with a Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7.5. Major sources include Mozambique, India, and Madagascar.
February — Amethyst
Amethyst represents clarity of mind and sobriety, from the Greek amethystos meaning “not intoxicated.” It’s a purple variety of quartz (SiO2) at Mohs 7, colored by iron impurities and gamma irradiation. Uruguay, Zambia, and Brazil supply most commercial material.
March — Aquamarine and Bloodstone
Aquamarine stands for calm and steady communication, its name drawn from the Latin for seawater. It’s a beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18) at Mohs 7.5 to 8, with Brazil, Pakistan, and Nigeria as leading sources. Bloodstone, the older March stone, is a green chalcedony flecked with red iron oxide, tied to courage.
April — Diamond
April’s diamond signals strength and enduring commitment, a symbolism cemented by 20th-century engagement traditions. Diamond is pure crystalline carbon and sits at Mohs 10, the hardest natural mineral. Botswana, Russia, and Canada are current top producers by carat weight.
May Through August: Late Spring and Summer
May — Emerald
Emerald has meant rebirth and foresight since the reign of Cleopatra, who mined the stone in Egypt’s Sikait region. It’s a green beryl colored by chromium or vanadium, Mohs 7.5 to 8, though inclusions often lower practical toughness. Colombia’s Muzo and Chivor mines set the color benchmark.
June — Pearl, Moonstone, and Alexandrite
Pearl carries meanings of purity and wisdom and is the only gem grown inside a living mollusk, mainly Pinctada and Hyriopsis species. Pearls score just 2.5 to 4.5 on Mohs, so they need gentle care. Moonstone (an orthoclase feldspar) signals intuition, and color-shifting alexandrite stands for balance.
July — Ruby
Ruby represents vitality and protection and was called ratnaraj, “king of gems,” in Sanskrit texts. It’s red corundum (Al2O3) colored by chromium, Mohs 9. Myanmar’s Mogok Valley remains the historic source, with Mozambique now supplying much of the market.
August — Peridot, Spinel, and Sardonyx
Peridot symbolizes light and renewal and forms deep in the mantle, reaching the surface through basalt flows on Arizona’s San Carlos Reservation and Pakistan’s Sapat Valley. It’s gem-quality olivine, Mohs 6.5 to 7. Spinel, added in 2016, stands for revitalization; sardonyx signals courage.
If you’re shopping a summer birthday, our team can match stone hardness to setting style — details we cover across the SilverRush Style catalog.
September Through December: Fall and Winter
September — Sapphire
Sapphire means wisdom and loyalty, a meaning reinforced by its use in royal engagement rings including Princess Diana’s 12-carat Ceylon stone. Blue sapphire is corundum colored by iron and titanium, Mohs 9. Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar produce the finest material.
October — Opal and Tourmaline
Opal represents hope and creativity and is a hydrated silica (SiO2·nH2O) with 3 to 21 percent water content, Mohs 5.5 to 6.5. Australia supplies roughly 95 percent of precious opal. Tourmaline, a complex boron silicate, spans nearly every color and symbolizes emotional balance.
November — Topaz and Citrine
Topaz stands for affection and clear thinking; the golden imperial variety comes almost exclusively from Ouro Preto, Brazil. It’s an aluminum silicate fluoride at Mohs 8. Citrine, a yellow-to-orange quartz at Mohs 7, symbolizes optimism and is often heat-treated amethyst from Rio Grande do Sul.
December — Turquoise, Tanzanite, and Blue Zircon
Turquoise has signaled protection for over 3,000 years, from ancient Egyptian Sinai mines to Zuni and Navajo silverwork in the American Southwest. It’s a copper aluminum phosphate at Mohs 5 to 6. Tanzanite (blue zoisite) comes from a single 8-square-mile deposit at Merelani, Tanzania; blue zircon represents prosperity.
Choosing and Caring for Your Birthstone
Match the stone’s hardness to how you’ll wear the piece: rings take daily impact, so stones under Mohs 7 (opal, pearl, turquoise, moonstone) do better in earrings or pendants. Store softer stones separately to avoid scratches from harder pieces like sapphire or topaz. Clean most silica- and corundum-based stones with warm water and mild soap, but keep pearls, opals, and turquoise away from ultrasonic cleaners and ammonia.
Heat and chemical treatments are common and disclosed by reputable sellers under FTC guidelines; ask for treatment details before you buy. Natural inclusions are normal in emerald, ruby, and sapphire, and often confirm the stone’s origin.
If you’d like a specific month set in sterling silver, browse our natural-stone collection or send us the birth month and we’ll suggest options that fit the wearer’s routine.
