Birthstone, Modern Birthstone Chart

Garnet is the birthstone for January. The most common color of garnet is red; however, garnets come in a variety of colors including green, orange, pinkish oranges, purplish reds, and some are even blue.  

Amethyst is the birthstone for February. Amethyst is purple in color and can range from a light lilac to a deep intense purple. Amethysts are often considered a symbol of peace, love, and happiness and is believed to have healing and protective powers, by some. 

Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. Aquamarine gemstones are typically light blue to a light green-blue. Aquamarine is derived from the Latin, aqua (meaning  water) and marina (meaning sea). Aquamarine is also used to celebrate 19th anniversaries. 

The Diamond is the birthstone for April. A diamond lasts forever, literally. Known as the hardest material on earth, diamonds are 58 times harder than any other substance on earth. Durable, stunning, and brilliant, a diamond is infinity and beyond.

Emeralds are the birthstone for May. For centuries, emeralds have adorned Egyptian Pharaohs, emperors and royalty. The finest emeralds have been sourced from Columbia  for over 500 years, but are also found in Brazil and Zambia. 

The Alexandrite is the modern birthstone for June. A very rare gemstone, the alexandrite is a "chameleon." A genuine alexandrite is green in daylight and brownish to purplish-red under a lamp [with incandescent light]. The alexandrite is unique in that it is color changing under different light sources but also may change colors when viewed at different angles. This is called pleochroism. 

The Ruby is the birthstone for July. The Ruby is a variety of corundum, which also includes sapphires. In Sanskrit, ruby means, "King of Gems." Beloved around the world, rubies are a excellent choice for your body jewelry. 

Peridot is the birthstone for August. Peridot is yellowish-green to bright green and is of the mineral, olivine. Peridot often occurs in volcanic rock or lava flows. Called the "Gem of the Sun" by Ancient Egyptians, peridot makes a beautiful addition to your jewelry. 

The Sapphire is the birthstone for August. Sapphires as well as rubies are from the mineral, corundum. Blue sapphires are the most common; however, "fancy sapphires" come in a variety of colors such as violet, green, pink, purple, yellow, or orange. 

Tourmaline is the birthstone for October. Tourmaline comes in a wide variety of colors including blue, red, orange, yellow, and purple. "Watermelon Tourmaline," as seen above, is multi-colored just like a juicy slice of watermelon. 

The birthstone for November is Citrine. With it's beautiful yellowish and amber tones, citrine gets it's name from the citron fruit for it's lemon-colored hues. 

Only discovered in 1967, Tanzanite is the modern birthstone for December. Tanzanite may be purple with bluish or red-ish hues at different angles (pleochroism).  Found only in Tanzania near Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzanites are more rare than diamonds.