Birthstones by Month: The Complete Guide to Every Gemstone

With deep red hues like pomegranate seeds scattered across the stone, that's how garnet got its name, from the Latin granatum. The January birthstone doesn't just come in red, though. Green tsavorite, orange spessartite, and purple rhodolite garnet exist in virtually every color except blue.

Ancient warriors carried garnets into battle, believing the stone offered protection. Today, it symbolizes friendship, trust, and safe travel. The deep red varieties (pyrope and almandine) remain the most recognized January gemstone, but the diversity of this mineral family is staggering.

Garnet at a Glance

• Colors: Deep red (also green, orange, purple, yellow)
• Mohs Hardness: 6.5 to 7.5 (durable for daily wear)
• Mineral Family: Silicate group (almandine, pyrope, grossular, spessartite)
• Primary Sources: India, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Madagascar, Brazil, USA
• Symbolism: Protection, friendship, trust, safe travel
• Care: Clean with warm soapy water; avoid steam cleaners for demantoid varieties

Explore handcrafted January birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where each garnet is set to honor its depth and fire.

Purple has always belonged to power. In the courts of Catherine the Great, amethyst was more than a gemstone; it was a statement of wealth and authority. Before Brazilian discoveries made it accessible, this February birthstone rivaled diamonds in value. Its rich violet glow adorned crowns and scepters, reflecting light in royal halls.

The name comes from the Greek amethystos, meaning “not intoxicated.” Ancient Greeks believed it kept the mind clear and protected against excess. Today, amethyst symbolizes calmness, clarity, wisdom, and protection. Ranging from soft lilac to deep violet, the most intense purple remains the most prized.

Amethyst at a Glance

• Colors: Purple (pale lilac to deep violet)
• Mohs Hardness: 7 (durable for everyday wear)
• Mineral Family: Quartz (silicon dioxide with iron impurities)
• Primary Sources: Brazil, Uruguay, Zambia, South Korea, Russia, USA
• Symbolism: Clarity, calmness, wisdom, sobriety, protection from negative energy
• Care: Clean with warm soapy water; avoid prolonged sun exposure, which can fade the color

Discover February birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where every amethyst is selected for its rich hue and luminous clarity.

Water of the sea, captured in stone. The March birthstone gets its name from Latin aqua marina, and sailors once carried aquamarine as a talisman against ocean storms. Pale blue to blue-green, it evokes calm waters and clear skies.

This gemstone belongs to the beryl family, the same mineral that gives us emerald. The largest aquamarine ever found? A 110-kilogram crystal was discovered in Brazil in 1910. Today, aquamarine symbolizes courage, serenity, and clear communication. It's especially significant to Aquamarise's brand identity, where the stone's tranquil beauty inspires our designs.

Aquamarine at a Glance

• Colors: Pale blue to blue-green
• Mohs Hardness: 7.5 to 8 (excellent durability for rings and daily wear)
• Mineral Family: Beryl (same as emerald)
• Primary Sources: Brazil, Pakistan, Madagascar, Nigeria, Mozambique
• Symbolism: Courage, serenity, clear communication, safe voyages
• Care: Clean with warm soapy water or ultrasonic cleaner; avoid extreme heat, which can alter color

Browse March birthstone creations at Aquamarise, where the tranquil glow of aquamarine is brought to life through organic, nature-led design.

Invincible, that is the origin of its name. Diamond, from the Greek adamas, is the hardest natural substance on Earth, a stone that can only be scratched by another diamond. As April’s birthstone, it has long stood as a symbol of enduring love, resilience, and unbreakable strength.

Formed deep within the Earth over billions of years, diamonds have always represented power and prestige. While the classic colorless stone remains iconic, diamonds also appear in yellow, blue, pink, and black. Today, lab-grown diamonds offer the same brilliance with a more ethical approach.

Diamond at a Glance

• Colors: Colorless (also yellow, blue, pink, green, brown, black)
• Mohs Hardness: 10 (hardest natural substance)
• Mineral Family: Pure carbon (crystallized under extreme pressure and heat)
• Primary Sources: Botswana, Russia, Canada, Australia, South Africa
• Symbolism: Eternal love, strength, clarity, invincibility
• Care: Extremely durable; clean with warm soapy water, ultrasonic, or steam cleaners

Discover April birthstone designs at Aquamarise, where lab-grown diamonds are shaped into refined pieces with meticulous craftsmanship.

Emerald has long been a stone of devotion and desire. Worn by queens and revered in ancient Rome as a gem of Venus, it carried meanings of love, renewal, and power. As May’s birthstone, its vivid green reflects the energy of spring, growth, vitality, and life in motion.

Within each natural emerald lies a delicate world of inclusions known as jardin, French for “garden.” These are not imperfections, but signatures of time, formed slowly over millennia. Sourced largely from Colombia, the finest stones can rival diamonds in value. Part of the beryl family, emerald draws its rich green from traces of chromium and vanadium.

Emerald at a Glance

• Colors: Green (light to deep, vivid green)
• Mohs Hardness: 7.5 to 8
• Mineral Family: Beryl (colored by chromium and/or vanadium)
• Primary Sources: Colombia, Zambia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia
• Symbolism: Renewal, growth, fertility, foresight, good fortune
• Care: Moderate durability; avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners; clean gently with warm soapy water only; remove before physical activity

Discover May birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where each emerald is thoughtfully set to reveal its rich green depth and natural character.

June offers a rare trinity of beauty. Pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone each embody a distinct world that is organic, transformative, and ethereal, making this birth month unlike any other. Pearls are formed within living oysters, prized for their soft luster and purity.

Alexandrite, first discovered in Russia’s Ural Mountains, shifts from green in daylight to deep red by evening, a marvel of rarity. Moonstone glows with adularescence, a drifting light that feels almost otherworldly. Together, they capture Aquamarise’s vision of nature, mystery, and luminous design.

Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone at a Glance

• Colors: White/cream (pearl), green-to-red (alexandrite), milky white with blue sheen (moonstone)
• Mohs Hardness: 2.5 to 3 (pearl), 8.5 (alexandrite), 6 to 6.5 (moonstone)
• Mineral Family: Organic (pearl), Chrysoberyl (alexandrite), Feldspar (moonstone)
• Primary Sources: Australia, Japan, China (pearl); Russia, Brazil, Sri Lanka (alexandrite); India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar (moonstone)
• Symbolism: Purity, wisdom (pearl); balance, adaptability (alexandrite); intuition, love, new beginnings (moonstone)
• Care: Pearls are delicate; wipe with a soft cloth, store separately; avoid ultrasonic cleaners on all three

Explore June birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where pearl, alexandrite, and moonstone are shaped into designs that reflect their luminous beauty and quiet mystique.

Crowned the “King of Gems” in ancient Sanskrit, ruby has long been a symbol of passion, power, and vitality. As July’s birthstone, its fiery red glow captures a depth of emotion no other gem can rival because it is intense, commanding, and unmistakably alive.

Ruby belongs to the corundum family, sharing its origin with sapphire, yet only the chromium-rich red stones bear its name. The most prized displays a “pigeon blood” hue, vivid red with a subtle blue undertone. Exceptionally rare, fine rubies over three carats can surpass diamonds in value and are long revered as stones of devotion, strength, and royal destiny.

Ruby at a Glance

• Colors: Red (pinkish-red to deep pigeon blood red)
• Mohs Hardness: 9 (second hardest natural gemstone)
• Mineral Family: Corundum (same as sapphire, colored red by chromium)
• Primary Sources: Myanmar, Mozambique, Madagascar, Thailand, Sri Lanka
• Symbolism: Passion, love, courage, protection, vitality
• Care: Excellent durability for all jewelry; safe with ultrasonic and steam cleaners

Explore July birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where rubies' fiery depths are set in designs that capture their royal lineage and untamed beauty.

Ancient Egyptians called peridot the gem of the sun, its golden-green glow like light held within stone. Today, August offers a rare trio with peridot, spinel, and sardonyx, each with its own legacy and character.

Peridot is one of the few gemstones found in a single color, ranging from bright yellow-green to deep olive, and has even been discovered in meteorites. Spinel, long mistaken for ruby, carries a rich history; the famed Black Prince’s Ruby is in truth a vivid red spinel. Sardonyx, with its layered bands of red and white, remains a timeless emblem of strength and heritage.

Peridot, Spinel, and Sardonyx at a Glance

• Colors: Yellow-green to olive (peridot), various colors (spinel), reddish-brown, and white banded (sardonyx)
• Mohs Hardness: 6.5 to 7 (peridot), 8 (spinel), 6.5 to 7 (sardonyx)
• Mineral Family: Olivine (peridot), Magnesium aluminate (spinel), Chalcedony (sardonyx)
• Primary Sources: USA, Myanmar, Pakistan, China (peridot); Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tanzania (spinel)
• Symbolism: Strength, energy, healing (peridot); revitalization, inspiration (spinel)
• Care: Peridot is moderately durable; avoid steam cleaners and rapid temperature changes; spinel is excellent for daily wear

Discover August birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where peridot's sunlit glow and spinel's vibrant hues are set in pieces celebrating summer's bold energy.

Sapphire has long been a stone of royalty and authority, chosen for its depth, restraint, and enduring elegance. As September’s birthstone, it symbolizes wisdom, loyalty, and nobility, qualities reflected in its velvety blue glow.

Though blue remains its most iconic shade, sapphire appears in nearly every color, each shaped by subtle trace elements. The rare padparadscha reveals a luminous blend of pink and orange, while historic Kashmir sapphires are revered for their unmatched richness. Part of the corundum family, only red stones are named ruby; everything else, in its many hues, is sapphire.

Sapphire at a Glance

• Colors: Blue (also pink, yellow, orange, green, purple)
• Mohs Hardness: 9 (second hardest natural gemstone)
• Mineral Family: Corundum (same as ruby, colored blue by iron and titanium)
• Primary Sources: Kashmir, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Madagascar, Montana, Australia
• Symbolism: Wisdom, loyalty, nobility, truth, sincerity
• Care: Excellent durability for all jewelry; safe with all cleaning methods

Browse September birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where sapphire's regal blue meets designs worthy of its royal history.

No two opals are ever the same. Each one dances with a rainbow of color, a play of fire that seems alive, capturing light and movement within its depths. Australia, the source of 95% of the world’s precious opals, has perfected this luminous art, making October’s birthstone a celebration of nature’s brilliance.

Tourmaline, October’s second gem, is a masterpiece of variety, coming in more colors than any other stone. Watermelon tourmaline, with its pink, green, and white layers, embodies the harmony of nature, a jewel that feels both organic and enchanted, perfectly suited for Aquamarise’s imaginative designs.

Opal and Tourmaline at a Glance

• Colors: Play-of-color rainbow flashes (opal), pink/green/blue/watermelon (tourmaline)
• Mohs Hardness: 5 to 6.5 (opal), 7 to 7.5 (tourmaline)
• Mineral Family: Hydrated silica (opal), Boron silicate (tourmaline)
• Primary Sources: Australia, Ethiopia, Mexico (opal); Brazil, Afghanistan, Mozambique, USA (tourmaline)
• Symbolism: Creativity, inspiration, hope (opal); compassion, tolerance, self-confidence (tourmaline)
• Care: Opals contain 3 to 21% water and are fragile; avoid heat, dryness, impacts; clean with a damp cloth only; tourmaline is more durable

Discover October birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where opal's otherworldly fire and tourmaline's rainbow spectrum inspire pieces for dreamers and believers.

Topaz, November’s signature gem, glows with warmth and vitality. Imperial topaz, with its fiery orange and delicate pink undertones, is the rarest and most coveted, while blue topaz, mostly heat-treated, dominates modern jewelry with serene brilliance. Natural blue topaz remains extraordinarily rare, making each authentic stone a treasure.

Citrine, November’s second birthstone, mirrors sunlight in golden hues. True natural citrine is uncommon, with most commercial stones created by heating amethyst. Together, topaz and citrine offer November a spectrum of radiant warmth, embodying energy, optimism, and timeless elegance in every facet.

Topaz and Citrine at a Glance

• Colors: Orange, blue, pink, colorless (topaz); yellow to orange-brown (citrine)
• Mohs Hardness: 8 (topaz), 7 (citrine)
• Mineral Family: Aluminium silicate (topaz), Quartz (citrine)
• Primary Sources: Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Russia (topaz); Brazil, Bolivia, Spain, Madagascar (citrine)
• Symbolism: Joy, abundance, generosity (topaz); success, energy, warmth (citrine)
• Care: Topaz has perfect cleavage along one axis; avoid sharp impacts; citrine is durable for daily wear; both are safe with warm, soapy water

Explore November birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where topaz and citrine's golden warmth brings autumn's glow to wearable form.

Tanzanite, discovered in 1967 in Tanzania’s Merelani Hills at the foot of Kilimanjaro, is a gem found nowhere else on Earth. Its deep, shifting blue made it December’s newest birthstone in 2002, a jewel of modern rarity.

December also offers a spectrum of choices. Turquoise, one of humanity’s oldest gems, has adorned jewelry for over 5,000 years with its serene, sky-blue charm. Zircon, a natural stone distinct from synthetic cubic zirconia, sparkles with classic brilliance. Blue topaz, durable and luminous, completes the month’s palette, offering elegance and enduring beauty in every facet.

Tanzanite, Zircon, Turquoise, and Blue Topaz at a Glance

• Colors: Violet-blue (tanzanite), blue/colorless/various (zircon), blue-green (turquoise), sky to deep blue (blue topaz)
• Mohs Hardness: 6 to 6.5 (tanzanite), 6.5 to 7.5 (zircon), 5 to 6 (turquoise), 8 (blue topaz)
• Mineral Family: Zoisite (tanzanite), Zirconium silicate (zircon), Copper aluminium phosphate (turquoise)
• Primary Sources: Tanzania only (tanzanite); Iran, USA Southwest, China (turquoise); Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Australia (zircon)
• Symbolism: Transformation, spiritual awareness (tanzanite); wisdom, prosperity (turquoise); clarity (zircon)
• Care: Tanzanite is relatively soft; requires protective settings for rings; turquoise is porous; avoid chemicals, perfumes, water; zircon is brittle despite its hardness; blue topaz is the most durable

Browse December birthstone jewelry at Aquamarise, where tanzanite's violet depths, turquoise's ancient blue, and topaz's clarity converge in winter's palette.