Birthstones by Month: Chart and Photos
Introduction
A birthstone is a gemstone that corresponds to the month of a person's birth. The birthstone chart shows the birthstones for each of the twelve months of the year. Birthstones are a bright, exciting, and popular way to get started with gemstones. They appeal to people of all genders, ages, nationalities, and religions all around the world. Birthstones have their own set of mysteries, characteristics, and legends. The numerous diverse abilities and properties that birthstones have spawned a plethora of tales and stories. Whether you believe these tales or not, it's difficult to deny that knowing about birthstones can be both informative and amusing. Learn why your birthstone is such a strong expression of your best traits.
What are birthstones by month?
The birthstones for each month are listed below. Learn about birthstone colours, characteristics, healing abilities, symbolism, where the birthstone may be found, and the biggest stone of its kind ever discovered. For example, the Aztecs and Incas prized emeralds for certain months.
- January- The birthstone for January is garnet. While reddish-brown garnets are the most common, they may also be found in purple, pink, violet, green, yellow, orange, red, brown, black, and even colourless. Garnets were utilised in ancient Egypt for beads and jewellery over 5,000 years ago. During the Middle Ages, garnet was highly popular in ancient Rome and Greece and Sumeria, Sweden, and Europe. Indians throughout the world revered garnet as a holy stone. Garnet was a treasured jewel and was employed as a charm in ancient times.
- February- The birthstone for February is amethyst. Purple tones in amethyst span from deep, dark violet to the less desirable light lavender. The gem's deep hue conjures up images of majesty and aristocracy. Catherine the Great's favourite gemstone is supposed to be amethyst, and dark-hued stones can be found in the British Crown Jewels today. It is essential to keep amethyst jewellery out of the sun, as heat causes the stone to lose its colour and turn yellow. According to evidence, amethysts were employed as pendants, bracelets, and crowns by Egyptian nobles circa 3,000 B.C. The amethyst was formerly thought to be a "jewel of fire" and a valuable stone worth as much as a diamond.
- March- The birthstone for March is aquamarine, which represents loyalty, honesty, and beauty. Aquamarine is a greenish-blue stone with a pastel hue. The name comes from Latin and means "sea" and "water." The colours range from a virtually colourless whitish-blue to a deep teal, but the most valuable is a vibrant blue aqua hue. Aquamarine is frequently used in rings due to its durability. However, many people think that its lovely hue is best suited to delicate earrings and pendant settings. Aquamarine deposits may be discovered in Connecticut, Maine, North Carolina, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Colorado in the United States.
- April- The birthstone for April is the diamond, which is a valuable gemstone and the most popular of all gemstones. The hardest natural substance on the earth is a diamond, which is a mineral compound comprised of pure carbon. As a result, diamonds should always be maintained separately from other jewellery, as they might harm other pieces. They are so hard that only another diamond can cut or polish them. The term Adamus comes from the Greek word Adamas, which means "invincible." The diamond is usually colourless, but it may also come in a variety of colours, including yellow, brown, green, grey, black, pink, blue, red, and purple.
- May- May's birthstone, emerald, is a valuable gemstone that symbolises knowledge, faith, love prosperity, and home harmony. Emerald is most known for its bright green hue, although it can also have blue or yellow overtones and loses all colour when heated. As far back as 2,000 B.C., emeralds were mined in Upper Egypt. They were mined during Alexander the Great's reign, and Cleopatra coveted and collected them. Emeralds were prized by the Aztecs and Incas, and the Moguls of India valued them so highly that they wrote religious scripture on them to be used to ward against evil.
- June- Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone are the birthstones for the month of June. The pearl, on the other hand, is the most popular. A pearl is a sign of success, joy, and love. Pearls, unlike most other jewels, are not mined. The most valuable pearls are made inside the shells of saltwater oysters and freshwater clams coated with mother-of-pearl, or nacre.
Alexandrite, the second birthstone for June, is blue-green in appearance, but when exposed to light, it turns purple-red or violet. It was found in Russian emerald mines and called after Alexander II, Russia's ruling prince at the time. Alexandrite is a rare chrysoberyl formation with traces of chromium, the colouring ingredient that causes this gem to change colour.
Moonstone, the third June birthstone, gets its name from its blue hue, which reflects a silvery range of tones that resemble moon phases when light strikes on it. It is made up of fine layers of feldspar and albite that give the stone a textured appearance. Gray, blue, peach, yellow, pink, and green moonstones are among the many hues available. The birthstone for June is The moonstone is linked to ethereal enchantment and mystery. It has soothing and balancing qualities that impact the biological clock in a positive way.
7. July- Ruby is a pink to a deep red valuable gemstone that is the birthstone for July. The term rubber is derived from the Latin word meaning red. Rubies are thought to bring good fortune to those who wear them. Rubies were thought to be a sign of protection from evil by the ancient Hindus. Ruby is now associated with love and passion. Rubies were also treasured by ancient Chinese soldiers, who were known to adorn their armour with rubies. The majority of rubies are now mined in Africa and Southeast Asia. The Liberty Bell Ruby was the biggest mined ruby, weighing four pounds.
8.August- Peridot, the August birthstone, is one of the few gemstones only in one hue — olive green. This is because the quantity of iron in the crystal formation determines the colour intensity. The gem's name is Old French in origin, and it is claimed to have initially appeared in a bishop's bequest. He left three rings to St. Albans Abbey, one of which was peridot. The peridot is sometimes mistaken for an emerald and is sometimes referred to as "the midnight emerald." It is supposed to represent power and will protect the wearer from evil if set in gold.
9. September- September's birthstone is sapphire, which comes in various colours but is most commonly associated with blue hues. A fancy sapphire is a sapphire of a different hue, such as pink, white, or yellow. The blue sapphire is a stone of calm and tranquilly. It is used to represent purity, knowledge, loyalty, and trust in ancient religious writings. The sapphire, like diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, is a valuable gemstone. They are mined throughout Africa and Asia, but also in Australia and the United States.
10. October- The birthstone for October is the Opal, which symbolises optimism and innocence. The term "opal" comes from the Latin word opalus, which means "to notice a shift in hue." Opals are usually white with iridescence, although they can also be black or translucent with red or yellow specks. Opals are gems made of non-crystalline silica gel that leaked into ancient rock fissures. The gel solidified into opals as a result of time and nature's heating and shaping processes. The brilliance of opal comes from the almost three-dimensional repeating patterns.
11.November- November's birthstones are topaz and citrine, making it one of the few months with more than one birthstone. The coveted Imperial Topaz, treasured by Russian Czars, is orange with pink tints. Topazos, the Red Sea island where the Romans discovered the diamond, has come to symbolise constancy, fidelity, and friendship. In addition, Topaz is considered to offer therapeutic qualities that can aid in treating respiratory problems such as asthma and TB.
Citrine, November's second birthstone, is named after the citrus fruit because its hue is similar to that of the fruit. Citrine is naturally light yellow or orange in hue. Jewellers, on the other hand, employ heat-treated citrine to create decorations with richer and deeper tones. It was initially mined on Topazios Island, Egypt, and belongs to the quartz crystal family. Citrine is still mined in Russia, France, and Brazil today. Wearing citrine, often known as the "success stone," will help you thrive in business, attract riches, increase endurance and good energy, and generate positive energy.
12. December- Turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon are the birthstones for December, and they are all recognised for their brilliant blue hues.
The first December birthstone is turquoise, a green-blue stone with sky blue tones that have been around since the 13th century. It was first worn by the ancient Egyptians and is now generally regarded as Tibet's national gemstone. Its name comes from the French phrase Pierre torques, which translates to "Turkish stone."
Conclusion
Birthstones are lovely gifts and may be integrated into various jewellery styles, from earrings and necklaces to rings, accent pieces, and more. Birthstone jewellery is frequently selected for its emotion and meaning, but that doesn't mean it can't still be physically gorgeous.
