Birthstones by Month
Twelve months, twelve colours. A birthstone is one of the oldest ways to make a jewel personal: a piece of the earth chosen for the moment someone came into the world.
BY THE DIMIRA JOURNAL · · 6 MIN READ
The idea is ancient. Early writers linked twelve precious stones to the twelve months and the signs of the zodiac, and over the centuries people began to wear the stone of their own month as a talisman. In 1912, jewellers agreed a modern list, and it has been gently updated since, most recently with tanzanite in 2002.
Today a birthstone is less about superstition and more about meaning. It marks a birthday, a new baby, an anniversary or a person you love. And because each month has its own colour, a birthstone gift never feels generic.
The twelve birthstones
| Month | Birthstone | Traditionally linked with | From our collection |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | Friendship, trust, safe return | Rose Crown Garnet Ring |
| February | Amethyst | Calm, clarity, protection | Royal Crest Amethyst Ring |
| March | Aquamarine | Calm seas, courage | Seaside Bloom Citrine & Aquamarine Pendant |
| April | Diamond | Enduring love | Coming to the collection |
| May | Emerald | Good fortune, love, renewal | Emerald Cascade Cluster Ring |
| June | Pearl, moonstone, alexandrite | Purity, intuition | Coming to the collection |
| July | Ruby | Passion, love, courage | Art Deco Ruby Ring |
| August | Peridot | Light, renewal | Classic Oval Peridot Ring |
| September | Sapphire | Wisdom, loyalty | Coming to the collection |
| October | Opal, tourmaline | Hope, creativity | Opal Garden Cuff Bracelet |
| November | Citrine, topaz | Warmth, prosperity, strength | Golden Sun Citrine Ring |
| December | Tanzanite, turquoise, zircon | New beginnings, protection | Twilight Bloom Tanzanite Pendant |
Winter: deep and luminous
December brings tanzanite's blue-violet, found in only one place on earth. January answers with garnet, the warm wine-red beloved by Victorian jewellers. February belongs to amethyst, whose violet has been worn by royalty for centuries.
Spring: fresh and clear
March is aquamarine, named for the colour of sea water. April is diamond. May is emerald, the green of new leaves, with tiny inclusions gemmologists call its jardin, or garden.
Summer: bright and fiery
June offers a choice of three: pearl, moonstone and colour-changing alexandrite. July is ruby, the red of passion. August is peridot, the sunlit green once called the evening emerald.
Autumn: golden and rich
September is sapphire. October is opal, holding every colour of the rainbow, and tourmaline. November glows with citrine's golden honey, a perfect stone for the season of light and warmth.
Giving a birthstone
- For a new baby, choose a pendant or a pair of studs in the baby's stone: a gift that will be worn for years.
- For a mother or grandmother, combine the stones of her children in a stacked set of rings, or a single multi-stone piece.
- For a partner, pair your two birthstones: one on a pendant, one on a ring.
- When in doubt, choose by colour. Every stone on this list is beautiful in its own right, whatever the month.
Twelve colours of the earth, and one that is yours.
