Why Do Some Months Have More Than One Birthstone?
Summary
The familiar U.S. birthstone list starts with garnet for January and ends with turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon for December. Some months have more than one accepted stone, so there is not always a single “correct” choice for a birthstone necklace, ring, bracelet, or pair of earrings.
If a month has several birthstones, you can choose by color, budget, durability, and the type of jewelry being worn. GIA, for example, lists aquamarine and bloodstone for March; pearl, moonstone, and alexandrite for June; and peridot, spinel, and sardonyx for August.
Sources do not agree on every month. Jewelers of America lists aquamarine alone for March and only peridot and spinel for August. Whichever list you follow, confirm which stone the seller is actually using and whether it is natural, laboratory-grown, treated, or simulated.
Birthstones by month
| Month | Birthstone(s) on GIA’s month pages |
|---|---|
| January | Garnet |
| February | Amethyst |
| March | Aquamarine; bloodstone |
| April | Diamond |
| May | Emerald |
| June | Pearl, moonstone, alexandrite |
| July | Ruby |
| August | Peridot, spinel, sardonyx |
| September | Sapphire |
| October | Opal, tourmaline |
| November | Topaz, citrine |
| December | Turquoise, tanzanite, zircon |
Why can one month have more than one birthstone?
Jewelers of America dates the official list to 1912, when the American National Retail Jewelers Association, the group that became Jewelers of America, set it. Newer stones now sit beside older ones. GIA calls tourmaline “the newer October birthstone” next to opal, and describes sardonyx as “the original August birthstone, with a history that dates back more than 4,000 years.”
The lists also disagree with each other. GIA’s August page says “Peridot, spinel and sardonyx are the three birthstones for August,” while the August image on GIA’s own birthstone index and the Jewelers of America list show two.
More choices can make the decision easier
June shows why multiple birthstones can be helpful. Pearl, moonstone, and alexandrite look completely different. Someone who already wears pearl studs may prefer a pearl pendant, while someone who likes faceted gemstones may be happier with alexandrite.
A birthstone is not always one exact color
Birthstone charts show one color per stone. GIA says garnets “are commonly red but also come in an extraordinary range of beautiful colors,” naming orange, yellow, purple, and vibrant green. GIA notes that “the term sapphire usually refers to the blue variety of corundum,” yet the stone “comes in a rainbow of other colors.” GIA’s topaz list runs from colorless and light blue through yellow, orange, pink, violet, and brown to, very rarely, red.
When shopping online, read the actual gemstone description instead of assuming the month name guarantees the color you picture.
Check what the stone actually is
A “birthstone” product may use a natural gemstone, a laboratory-grown gemstone, an imitation, or another material selected to reproduce the traditional color. The month tells you what the design represents but says nothing about how the stone was produced. Color can be the result of treatment, too. GIA says “The vast majority of blue topaz seen today is the permanent result of treating colorless topaz with irradiation and heating.”
The FTC’s Jewelry Guides cover “gemstones and their laboratory-created and imitation substitutes,” and they say marketers must truthfully represent a stone’s type, treatment, and origin, among other details. If a listing says only “emerald green,” for example, do not assume the stone itself is emerald.
How to choose when your month has several options
Think about the jewelry before you think about the calendar. A stone that works beautifully in earrings or a pendant may need more protection in a ring that gets knocked against desks, bags, and door handles. Then compare color, care needs, size, and price.
Pearl, one of June’s three stones, shows the difference. GIA rates pearl 2.5 on the Mohs scale and calls it “very soft and easily scratched or abraded,” so a pearl set in a ring takes far more knocks than the same pearl hanging from a chain.
Looking for a piece? Browse the Jeweldipity feed →
Sources
- GIA, Birthstones for Each Month
- GIA, March Birthstones
- GIA, June Birthstones
- GIA, August Birthstones
- GIA, January Birthstone
- GIA, September Birthstone
- GIA, October Birthstones
- GIA, November Birthstones
- GIA, Pearl Care and Cleaning Guide
- Jewelers of America, Birthstones
- Federal Trade Commission, Jewelry Guides
We have not tested any products. Details are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; the seller's or maker's page has the current version.