Ultimate Guide to Birthstones and Star Sign Gemstones
Do you know what your birthstone is?
Birthstones are gemstones that are associated with each month. They may be precious stones, such as diamonds, or semi-precious, such as Lapiz Lazuli. In each case they are considered lucky for their particular months and for those who believe in such things their healing powers are heightened during their months. So if you're born in April then your Birthstone is the Diamond and you will get the most benefit from diamonds by wearing them in April. Of course, people might argue that wearing diamonds at anytime is a good thing! Since each birthstone has heightened powers during its month then some people buy a set of all twelve and rotate them for each month. So where do you get a nice set of birthstones? Or even individual stones? (The AStoreForBeauty.com is run by some very nice people who know a great deal about stones and their mystical properties. They do some beautiful work with their birthstones. )The Modern Birthstone List contains the official birthstone list from the American National Association of Jewelers, Jewelers of America. These gemstones were officially adopted in 1912. In the US, this is the accepted list. The Traditional Birthstone list contains older birthstones and is sometimes combined with the modern birthstone list. These stones reflect societal birthstone traditions, heralding back to the 15th century. (Many jewelers have differing lists of traditional birthstones, but the birthstone colors will be very close from list to list.) The Mystical Birthstone list is of Tibetan origin from over a thousand years ago. The Ayurvedic Birthstone list is from Ayurvedic Indian Medicine - a type of medicine used for over a thousand years. Stones listed in the "other" column were correlated by Dave Thompson and others participating on the usenet newsgroup rec.crafts.jewelry as alternative birthstones for each month. The Curious Lore of Precious Stones by George Frederick Kunz has a wonderful list of birthstones from different cultures. Many people decide to go with jewelry that combines several birth stones into one item, a birthstone bracelet, for example. Others prefer single stones. The birthstone chart, below, will take you to either an article or a merchant site where you can get more information on that particular birth stone.
Birth Month | Modern Birthstones | Traditional Birthstones | Mystical Birthstones | Ayurvedic Birthstones | Other Birthstones |
January Birthstones | Garnet | Garnet | Emerald | Garnet | Rose Quartz |
February Birthstones | Amethyst | Amethyst | Bloodstone | Amethyst | Onyx, Moonstone |
March Birthstones | Aquamarine | Bloodstone | Jade | Bloodstone | Rock Crystal |
| Diamond | Diamonds | Opal | Diamond | White Sapphire,Quartz |
May Birthstones | Emerald | Emerald | Sapphire | Agate | Chrysoprase, Beryl |
June Birthstones | Pearl Moonstone | Alexandrite | Moonstone | Pearl | Opal |
July Birthstones | Ruby | Ruby | Ruby | Ruby | Carnelian |
August Birthstones | Peridot | Sardonyx | Diamond | Sapphire | Jade |
September Birthstones | Sapphire | Sapphire | Agate | Moonstone | Diamond, Chrsolite, Lapis Lazuli |
October Birthstones | Opal , Tourmaline | Tourmaline | Jasper | Opal | Pink Tourmaline, Zircon, Aquamarine |
November Birthstones | Yellow Topaz , Citrine | Citrine | Pearl | Topaz | Diamond |
December Birthstones | Blue Topaz, Turquoise | Zircon, Turquoise , Lapis Lazuli | Black Onyx | Ruby |
Check out Ebay.com's birthstones in our birthstone store. Also see Gemstone Therapy for more detailed information
on the mystical properties of certain stones.
Star Sign Stones
The Star Sign stone chart below offers another slant on birthstones/planetary relationships. Instead of being linked to the various months, these stones are linked to the stars. These are not stones with stars in them, such as the star sapphire, but stones that are linked to the stars. Clicking on each star stone link provides specific gemstone pictures/products, care instructions, mystical properties, and lots more.
Sun Signs | Birthstones | Planetary Stones | Lucky Charms |
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19) | Ruby , Agate, Garnet | Lapis Lazuli | Ruby |
Aquarius (January 20-February 18) | Garnet, Moss Agate, Opal , Amethyst | Turquoise | Garnet, Hyacinth |
Pisces (February 19-March 20) | Rock Crystal, Sapphire, Amethyst , Bloodstone | Aquamarine | Amethyst |
Aries (March 21-April 19) | Bloodstone, Diamond | Jasper | Diamond, Jasper, Bloodstone |
Taurus (April 20-May 20) | Amber, Coral, Emerald, Turquoise, Sapphire, | Aventurine, Emerald, | Sapphire, Diamond |
Gemini (May 21 - June 20) | Agate, Chrysoprase, Pearl | Tiger Eye | Agate, Emerald |
Cancer (June 21 - July 22) | Pearl, Ruby, Emerald, Moonstone | Moonstone | Agate, Emerald, Chalcedony |
Leo (July 23 - August 22) | Onyx, Tourmaline, Sardonyx, | Rock Crystal | Amber, Onyx, Peridot, |
Virgo (August 23-September 22) | Carnelian, Jade, Jasper, Sapphire | Citrine | Carnelian, Sardonyx |
Libra (September 23-October 22) | Opal, Peridot, Lapis Lazuli | Sapphire | Opal , Chrsolite, Sardonyx |
Scorpio (October 23-November 21) | Aquamarine, Topaz | Garnet, Ruby | Aquamarine, Beryl |
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) | Amethyst, Topaz, Turquoise, Sapphire, | Topaz | Pearl, Topaz |
Frequently Asked Questions About Birthstones
What is my birthstone?
Your birthstone depends on your birth month. For example, if you were born in April, your modern birthstone is the Diamond. Refer to our comprehensive birthstone chart above for a full list of modern, traditional, and mystical stones for each month.
Are traditional and modern birthstones different?
Yes. Modern birthstones were officially adopted in 1912 by the American National Association of Jewelers (Jewelers of America), while traditional birthstones have cultural roots dating back to the 15th century. Traditional lists often feature different gemstone options depending on historical availability and societal norms of the era.
Can I wear multiple birthstones?
Absolutely! Many people wear jewelry combining multiple birthstones, such as a birthstone bracelet or a family ring, representing their own birth month alongside those of family members, children, or loved ones. Some even rotate all twelve stones to maximize their mystical properties throughout the year.
What are mystical and Ayurvedic birthstones?
Mystical birthstones originate from Tibetan traditions spanning over a thousand years, focusing on spiritual healing and alignment. Ayurvedic birthstones stem from ancient Indian Ayurvedic medicine, linking specific gemstones to individual health, doshas, and medicinal benefits over millennia.