Birthstones are gemstones that are connected to each month of the year. Each birthstone is unique and has a significant meaning behind it. Birthstone jewelry has started gaining more recognition recently, but even though some may know their birthstone, many are clueless as to what it means or represents. Birthstone jewelry is incredibly gorgeous and can symbolize special events like birthdays of loved ones, anniversaries, special dates in a month, etc. Now, let’s dive into each month’s birthstone and its meaning.

January’s birthstone is garnet. Garnet represents trust, strength, and courage. With January bringing in the new year, people like to see this stone as a “good luck” gem, as they will need strength to achieve all the resolutions on their list (Simple and Dainty). 

February’s birthstone is amethyst, which is a beautiful purple or violet color that symbolizes wisdom, hope, and passion. The origin of the word Amethyst derives from the Greek word amethystos. This gem is known to guard one’s mind and encourage people to push through the hardest situations (Uncommon Goods). 

March’s birthstone is aquamarine, which you could imagine is the color aquamarine. This gem is known to bring with it clarity, calmness, and tranquility. Many years ago, heart, liver, and stomach diseases were thought to be cured by drinking the water that the gem has been soaking in. Even early sailors believed this gem would protect them from the ocean’s danger (Almanac). 

April’s Birthstone is the fancy yet classy diamond.  April’s birthstone is known to be a girl’s best friend. As you could imagine, this birthstone symbolizes and is associated with love, commitment, health, and strength. This is why diamonds are used for engagements and weddings, as they are extremely durable and represent everlasting love. 

May’s Birthstone is emerald, which is a timeless gem. Its color is a gorgeous emerald green, representing abundance, joy, and rebirth. When this stone was originally found in Egypt, it was said to have stood for fertility. Emeralds are also known to promote wellness and health in the individual who wears them.

June is a special month because it has three stones associated with it, including alexandrite, pearl, and moonstone. The most common one associated with this month is the pearl. Pearls have been a symbol of purity for many years now, and they continue to be associated with the month of June. Alexandrite can symbolize transformation and emotional balance, discovered in the Russian mountains and named after Tsar Alexander II. Moonstone has properties associated with new beginnings and can soothe emotions; it is a popular and beautiful stone among those born in June.

July’s birthstone is ruby, which is known to be one of the most valuable and desirable stones. It is also one of the oldest stones and was discovered about 2,000 years ago. The red in the ruby gem symbolizes strength and courage, said to bring harmony, protection, and self-confidence to the individual who wears it. 

August’s birthstone is peridot, which is a light green color sometimes similar to a subtle lime green. It is said that this gem symbolizes strength but tends to be associated with peace, good fortune, love, and happiness. Peridot also brings with it courage, wisdom, and wealth. McKenzie Reiter (11) tells us, “My birthday is in August, and I have received birthstone jewelry before. I loved it because of how gorgeous the stones are, but never knew that each birthstone had such a profound meaning.” 

September’s birthstone is sapphire, which is said to represent royalty, wisdom, and favor. Sapphires also symbolize truth and protection for those who wear them. Ancient Persian rulers theorized that the sky was a beautiful blue color due to the reflection of sapphire stones.

October’s birthstone is opal, a unique stone that tends to have different colors within it. Opal symbolizes faithfulness and confidence. It is said that necklaces decorated with opal would protect against evil and protect eyesight. 

November’s birthstone is citrine, a beautiful orange gem that is ironic for November. Thanksgiving and Autumn take place in November, which are usually associated with the color orange, as the leaves are beginning to change color and fall. Citrine is said to minimize anger and help stimulate calmness into one’s body and life. 

December’s birthstone is blue topaz, which is associated with positive attributes. This stone is meant to symbolize love and affection, as well as a promise of love and fidelity. It is said to bring intelligence to the person wearing it. Now that you know what each birthstone symbolizes, you can buy more birthstone jewelry with deeper reasoning. Although birthstone jewelry is already a super thoughtful gift, you can now tell your loved ones about the meaning behind each birthstone and explain how they can play a huge role in their life. Kennedy Conrad (11) explains, “I have been wanting to get my family birthstone jewelry and combine each of the stones. I didn’t really know what they meant, so now that I do, it adds much more meaning to the gift.”