Here at Kate Smith Jewellery, we get asked a lot to feature birthstones in jewellery for our clients. The gemstone linked to their birth month, or that of a loved one, can create a special connection to a piece of jewellery.
On a purely aesthetic level, each gem on the birthstone list looks beautiful, so can be a stunning way to make jewellery part of your individual style.
Having worked with many of these pretty gemstones listed below over the past 23 years, I thought it was high time to create a birthstone guide.
But this isn't any old guide!
Yes, birthstones are assigned to each month, but that doesn't always make them a suitable match for the piece of jewellery you want, so I explain why this may be the case and suggest lovely alternatives.
I also group them into High Wearability, Moderate Durability or Wear With Care, to help you decide if they are right for you. I've listed the Mohs hardness score of each birthstone to help you understand their suitability for use in different types of jewellery.
What is the Mohs scale?
The Mohs scale is a hardness rating used by jewellers to describe the durability of a gemstone.
Each is marked from 1 to 10, with 10 being the hardest.
Short on time? Jump to your month!
What's the history of birthstones?
The history of birthstones can be traced back to ancient times, with its roots in religion and spirituality.
In the book of Exodus in the Old Testament, Moses instructs a breastplate to be made for Aaron, High Priest of the Hebrews, featuring 12 gemstones - one to symbolise each tribe of Israel.
In Hinduism, texts unearthed from the 5th century connected certain gemstones with certain months, holding unique powers.
By the 8th Century, Christians were wearing a specific gemstone on a designated month to provide powers of protection and spiritual benefits.
And while some say the modern birthstone trend began in 16th-century Germany or Poland, the standardised list we use today was created in 1912 by the USA's National Association of Jewelers and updated in 1956 by the Jewelry Industry Council of America.
So, if you want to find your birthstone and learn how to rock it (excuse the pun) in jewellery form, keep reading for your complete list of birthstones by month.
Do birthstones go by month or zodiac sign?
Both. The month system is used more widely, but there is a stone linked to each of the twelve signs of the zodiac:
Aries: Diamond
Taurus: Emerald
Gemini: Pearl
Cancer: Ruby
Leo: Peridot
Virgo: Sapphire
Libra: Opal
Scorpio: Topaz
Sagittarius: Turquoise
Capricorn: Garnet
Aquarius: Amethyst
Pisces: Aquamarine
Birthstones by month
January birthstone: Garnet
January's birthstone, garnet, actually comes in a range of colours, but is most commonly seen in a deep red hue. Others include green, pink, and orange.
Worn as jewellery as early as ancient Egypt as a protective symbol to ward off evil, garnet is said to symbolise protection and health.
It's also believed to represent friendship, making garnet jewellery a lovely gift. Meanwhile, crystal lovers say garnet has purifying and energy-balancing properties, and could even enhance karma.
The word itself comes from the Middle English gernet, meaning "dark red like a pomegranate", because of its similarity to the fruit seeds.
If you're looking for garnet birthstone
jewellery but are not so keen on the shade of red, look into Tsavorite garnet, a vibrant green colour.
Or, for a different shade of red, you could opt for a ruby in a dark red or brighter crimson, which goes fabulously with yellow gold.
Moderate Durability
Garnet scores 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
February birthstone: Amethyst
The birthstone for February is amethyst, a gorgeous purple gemstone said to have calming properties. The colour can actually range from a light lavender to a deep violet colour.
Amethyst symbolises peace, clarity, and protection, and is believed to reduce stress, calm mood swings, and even improve your power of intuition.
As for the history of amethyst? The legend goes that in a state of anger, Roman god Bacchus threatened to set his tigers on the first person he saw. When a young woman called Amethyst appeared, the goddess Diana turned her into a clear crystal, which Bacchus poured wine over to turn purple.
Often linked to your crown chakra, amethyst is thought to encourage spiritual awareness and is a popular crystal for healing and meditation rituals.
On a practical level, word of advice from a jeweller - being a relatively soft stone with a score of 7 on the Mohs scale, we don't recommend using very small amethysts for an eternity ring style, as at that size they simply aren't durable enough to withstand the knocks and scratches of daily life.
Alternatives: A more durable alternative for the colour would be a purple diamond or purple sapphire.
Moderate Durability
Amethyst scores 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
March birthstone: Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the birthstone for March, coming from the beryl family of gemstones.
As the name suggests, it's so-called for its soothing greeny-blue colour that's reminiscent of the sea. Linked to tranquillity, courage, and clarity, aquamarine is said to symbolise peace, healing, and clear communication.
Historically known as the sailors' gem, Roman sailors carried aquamarine gemstones on long voyages as a mark of protection from rough seas, bringing calm, balance, and good luck. They called it "water of the sea", leading to the name aquamarine.
Durable and more affordable than sapphires and diamonds, aquamarine is the first birthstone of the spring season and many people believe this represents fresh starts and rebirth, making it a beautiful and calming birthstone.
Moderate Durability
Aquamarine scores 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Alternatives: At a very small scale, aquamarines are often pale and some of the colour can be lost. They are also not ideal flush set into rings as they don't have the durability to withstand everyday knocks. If you like the blue of an aquamarine, then the slightly harder Topaz might be an alternative for you to consider.
April birthstone: Diamond
Discovered over 2,000 years ago in India, diamonds are believed to bring balance, clarity, and inner strength, along with their dazzling appearance.
Thought to possess healing properties in ancient times - Romans referred to them as the tears of the gods - we now associate diamonds with love, loyalty, and resilience.
Diamond is one of the hardest natural substances in the world, rating a top 10 on the Mohs scale. A highly durable choice for jewellery and a symbol of long-lasting love, diamonds are a Type I gem on the clarity scale used by jewellers - the clearest of all.
Many people don't know you can source diamonds in lots of different colours - pinks, purples, greens, yellows, blues, and even black.
As well as forming beautiful birthstone jewellery for April, diamonds are a very popular gemstone for engagement rings and eternity rings.
High Wearability
Diamond scores 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Alternatives: Looking for a more budget-friendly sparkle that can compete with the brilliance of a natural diamond? Why not consider a Lab Grown Diamond, Moissanite or Colourless Sapphire
If you've not heard of this gemstone, you're certainly not alone. Natural Moissanite (discovered in 1893) is incredibly rare, so Moissanite available today is laboratory-created. Moissanite, referred to as a diamond simulant, is engineered to give the illusion of similarity to diamonds.
They are very durable, but less expensive per carat, than a diamond. A great stone to consider if you would like to opt for a large diamond in your ring, but at a much lower price.
High Wearability
Moissanite scores 9.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
May birthstone: Emerald
A rich and vibrant green colour, emerald is one of the world's most sought-after and luxurious gemstones and is the stunning birthstone for May.
Unlike crystal-clear diamonds, emeralds are a Type III on the clarity scale and contain what we call inclusions. The French call this kind of an inclusion a "jardin", meaning garden, for their plant-life appearance. This is all part of the emerald's natural beauty and originality - every "jardin" is different, so your piece of jewellery is 100% unique to you.
As a spring stone with a fresh green colour, they're connected to rebirth, renewal, and growth and are believed to bring you luck, peace, and healing properties, especially for the eyes.
Emeralds have been loved for thousands of years - in fact, Cleopatra regularly adorned herself in the gem. In ancient Rome and Greece, emeralds were a sign of love and beauty, associated with the goddess Venus.
Today, they're a popular alternative to diamonds for engagement rings;
Moderate Durability
Emerald scores 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Alternatives: Although a little softer, Tsavorite Garnets have the same vibrant green at a lower price point.
June birthstones: Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone
Why have one birthstone when you could have three?
June babies are spoilt for choice, as there are three birthstones associated with the month - let's explore them one at a time;
The June birthstone of pearl is in a league of its own, because it's actually made by living creatures like oysters and mussels. Coming in a range of colours, including white, pink, and even black, pearls are beautifully iridescent and smooth.
The pearl symbolises purity, innocence, elegance, and wisdom and are often a milestone gift to celebrate weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries.
Dating back to ancient Egypt, Rome, and China, they were worn by royals and aristocrats as a status symbol.
With a low hardness rating, we don't use pearls here at Kate Smith Jewellery as they're simply too soft to work for the type of contemporary rings and other items of jewellery we specialise in.
Wear With Care
Pearl scores 2.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Alexandrite, meanwhile, is known for its magical colour-changing credentials. Depending on the light, it can change from green to red or even purple, so it's no surprise it represents transformation, adaptability, and resilience.
Discovered in 1830s Russia and named after Tsar Alexander II, it's one of the rarest gemstones and is said to bring good luck and boost your creativity.
Alexandrite is a pretty tough cookie, making it ideal for all kinds of jewellery.
High Wearability
Alexandrite scores 8.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Moonstone is a shimmery, otherworldly looking gemstone which has a lunar aesthetic, ranging from white to peach, grey or blue in different lights.
This birthstone is linked to emotional balance, intuition and feminine energies, as well as marking new beginnings.
Ancient Romans associated moonstone with Diana, goddess of the moon.
Moderate Durability
Moonstone scores 6-6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
July birthstone: Ruby
Dazzling red in colour, rubies vary from rich crimson to a vivid red with a hint of blue, which is known as "pigeon blood red".
One of the world's hardest gemstones with a rating of 9 on the Mohs scale, rubies are a highly popular jewellery choice thanks to their everyday durability.
Associated with passion, love, strength, courage and vitality, rubies are said to bring the wearer good luck and protection.
Ancient Indians referred to rubies as "ratnaraj" - the king of gems - and they're even used in the British Crown jewels for their protective powers.
Nowadays rubies are worn in engagement rings, eternity rings, and anniversary gifts as a timeless, elegant gem with a stunning red colour and high durability, scoring 9 out of 10 on the Mohs scale.
High Wearability
Ruby scores 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Alternatives: If you're looking for a similar colour but at a more affordable price point, you could opt for the deep red colour of Garnet instead. Spinel is another great option.
August birthstones: Peridot and Spinel
A gorgeous and very popular gold-green gem, the original August birthstone is peridot.
It ranges in colour from bright lime green to a deeper olive shade, with the green coming from the iron in the gemstone.
Dating back to Ancient Egypt and mined on an island off the Red Sea, peridot was known as the gem of the sun, warding off evil spirits.
It's said to bring healing properties, good fortune, and a feeling of renewal to the wearer, with many people believing it has a calming influence that evokes emotional stability.
A word of advice from a professional: when you bring peridot down in size for an eternity ring it loses its colour, so we don't recommend using it at that scale.
Plus, scoring 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, it's not practical enough at that size to stand up to everyday wear in a ring.
Necklaces and earrings are ideal for peridots though!
Moderate Durability
Peridot scores 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Alternatives: If you were born in August and would love a piece of jewellery that represents the look of peridot but on a small scale, an alternative is Alexandrite, which is harder and higher up on the hardness scale and a softer colour of green than emerald.
Spinel is a new birthstone that joined the list in 2016 as an alternative birthstone for August.
Offering a little more variety to August-born jewellery lovers, it comes in red, pink, blue, purple, and even black.
A pinky/red spinel offers a fabulous and more cost efficient alternative to a ruby
Highly durable thanks to its rating of 8 on the Mohs scale, it's a great alternative to peridot for using at a smaller scale in rings, holding up to the challenge of everyday wear.
Linked to energy and revitalisation, spinel is believed to reduce stress levels and encourage inspiration in those who wear it.
High Wearability
Spinel scores 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
September birthstone: Sapphire
Did you know sapphires and rubies are both made of the same mineral, corundum?
All corundum's that aren't red are classed as sapphires. But if it's red, it's a ruby.
The different colours depend on the presence of transition metal impurities in its crystalline structure.
Sapphires tend to be associated with the colour blue, but they actually come in many other lovely colours, like pink - from very pale to bright bubble-gum and fuchsia, and purple, which makes a durable alternative to amethyst for smaller sized gems.
In terms of symbolism, sapphires are said to represent wisdom, nobility, and purity.
They were loved by ancient Greeks and Romans as a mark of protection, and have long been popular with royal families from past to present: including Princess Diana's engagement ring, which featured a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire and now belongs to Princess Kate.
We love working with sapphires as they're high up on the hardness scale and second in hardness to diamonds.
High Wearability
Sapphire scores 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Alternatives: Be aware that a green sapphire at a very small size can t