Birthstones: The Complete Guide to Their Meaning, History, and Jewelry

These alluring gemstones are most famous for rich red hues. However, they come in many other colors including orange, green, and even purple. Each of these colors represents a specific variety of garnet. That’s the reason why the minerals are called that way too.

There are six members of the garnet family: pyrope, almandine, spessartine, andradite, grossular, and uvarovite. They are each found in a different country. Anywhere from the United States (pyrope) to Siberia (grossular). The vivid red and pink shades of the pyrope are a result of the chromium and vanadium traces. Meanwhile, the more purplish-red hues in almandine come from iron. The yellow and orange shades that spessartines are known for are because of manganese.

The name comes from the Latin word granatum which translates to “seedlike.” It’s a reference to pomegranate (pomum granatum) seeds which the gemstone resembles. Garnets have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs that date back 5,000 years. That only shows a longstanding connection people have had with these gems. For those born in January, this birthstone brings peace, good fortune, and long-lasting friendship.

February babies have Amethyst as their birthstone. This gem protects those born in the month from negative energy. The palette of the gemstones features breathtaking shades of purple ranging from light lavender to violet. Due to its color, ancient Greeks associated the gem with Bacchus, and believed that it protected against intoxication.

The name actually comes from the Greek amethystos, meaning “not intoxicating.” Today, most of the amethyst supply comes from South American countries such as Brazil and Uruguay. But, also from Sri Linka, Siberia, Canada, and the United States. The gemstone gets its violet color primarily from iron impurities. But, some scientists argue that exposure to natural radiation can also have an effect.

Aquamarine is a gemstone that comes from the same beryl family as emeralds. The name originates from the Latin words aqua and marina. Together they translate to “sea water” and represent the stone’s color. The tranquility of the stone invoked by its light blue shades holds significance in its meaning. It’s is believed to protect sailors against rough seas, as well as soldiers going into battle. Today, people believe that the gemstone to helps to ensure safe travels.

Aquamarine comes from Brazil, as well as the United States. In fact, it’s the official stone for the state of Colorado. Like amethyst, aquamarine owes its light blue color to the presence of iron.

As the world’s most popular gemstone, diamonds are treasured all over the globe. In fact, they have been for thousands of years. Ancient Romans and Greeks believed that the gemstones were made of tears of the gods. Though these white gemstones are most common and especially popular in engagement rings, more rare diamond varieties include black, yellow, red, and blue. They are the hardest gemstone of all, over 50 times harder than anything else found in nature.

Diamonds are a symbol of purity and everlasting love. Thus, it’s a perfect gift for someone special in your life that’s born in April. Diamonds come from many different countries. Some of the largest exports are Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Canada, and Russia. The gems that are chemically and structurally perfect are naturally colorless.

Colored diamonds, on the other hand, are a result of chemical impurities and structural imperfections. A few examples: boron in the crystal matrix (blue diamonds) or deformation of the crystal lattice due to heat and pressure (pink gemstones and red diamonds).

Emerald is the gorgeous birthstone for May. The vibrant green hues of the gemstone exude a Springtime aura that’s a perfect fit for those born in the month. Because they’ve been treasured for thousands of years, there are many interpretations for their meaning.

Today, a fine emerald is the symbol of passion and a zest for life. They come from different South American and African countries. Some of these include Brazil, Colombia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Gems in the beryl family are naturally colorless. But, chromium impurities give the gemstone its famous green color. Emeralds are some of the most expensive gemstones in the world.

June has three birthstones, all of which are beautiful in their own way and offer their own symbolic meaning. Moonstone and alexandrite are a more recent addition to the birthstones list. Pearls and moonstones have a long history linked to them, while Alexandrite is a more recently discovered gem. In fact, it has begun to get more attention in the past couple of decades.

Each one of the June birthstones (pearl, alexandrite and moonstone) comes from various locations across the globe. Pearls can come from waters in China, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, and French Polynesia. Alexandrite, on the other hand, has always been exclusive to the mountains of Russia. However, a large deposit got discovered in Brazil.

The United States, Brazil, and India are some of the largest exporters of moonstones. This June birthstone presents a unique color change in different lighting. It can appear green like an emerald by day, but also present a blue sheen in fluorescent light and appear purple under incandescent light. This quality of appearing green in daylight and different at night or in incandescent light makes it a popular choice for birthstone jewelry.

Often referred to as the “King of Gems,” the ruby is the July birthstone. These gemstones feature a fiery red color that has made them one of the most recognized gems in the world. They symbolize qualities such as love, power, protection, and good fortune. For a long period of time, spanning hundreds of years, Burma was the only place in the world where rubies were found. Today, rubies are all over the world.

When an aluminum atom gets replaced by a chromium atom in the naturally colorless corundum mineral, it results in the rich red hues. Rubies have become revered for them.

There are two awe-inspiring gemstones associated with August: peridot and spinel. Peridot – prized for its distinctive lime green color that reflects under the light. Spinel, on the other hand, comes in a wide variety of elegant colors. As far as symbolic meaning, peridots bring prosperity. Spinel represents longevity.

Most peridots available on the market come from China, Pakistan, or the United States. However, Spinel comes from a host of countries, mainly in Central Asia and Africa. Peridot’s color depends on the percentage of iron that the mineral withholds. It can make the gem range from yellow and light green all the way to brown. Pure spinel is colorless. But, various chemical impurities fill it with an array of colors.

The radiant blue color of sapphires is chosen for the month of September. Despite their trademark blue hue, they also come in different colors such as pink and orange. These gems have played an important role in many historical cultures. Thus, they held many different meanings. Today, sapphires are a symbol of truth, genuineness, and nobility.

The largest deposits of sapphire are in Central and South East Asia, as well as Africa. Sapphires are a part of the same corundum family as rubies. Similar to rubies, they get their colors from impurities. For blue sapphire, these are iron and titanium impurities. If only iron is present then the gem becomes flat yellow. But, if only titanium is present, the mineral stays colorless. If both metals are present, a process known as charge transfer takes place. It changes the energy levels and produces the blue coloration. In addition to sapphire, some consider lapis lazuli as one of the birthstones for the month of September.

Tourmaline and opal are both the birthstones for the month of October. Tourmaline features the largest assortment of colors out of all gemstones, and is believed to possess a calming energy. Opals also feature a stunning display of colors, believed to enhance creativity. It’s safe to say that both gems are prime examples of nature’s beauty.

Tourmaline is found all over the world, and its color typically depends on where it comes from. In contrast, 90% of the world’s opals come exclusively from one country: Australia. Tourmaline is composed a boron-silicate mineral. It’s made out of aluminum, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium or potassium. Tourmalines that feature bright colors such as pink, red, green, blue, and yellow are rich in lithium. Less-desirable black and brown tourmalines are rich in iron or magnesium.

Opals reflect nearly every color of the rainbow and can present various colors in different lighting. This is due to one primary factor: diffraction of light. Opals diffract white light, splitting it as it enters from above. Then, reflects it on the top of the stone in all the colors of the spectrum. Also, certain opals can feature fluorescent light under an ultraviolet lamp. Opals come in many colors including white, yellow, red, orange, green, brown, black, blue and pink.

November claims two charming birthstones in citrine and topaz. Citrine is quite a rare gemstone and features a striking yellow color which is indicative of its name. The gem has been associated with positive energy and optimism. Topaz (which measures 8 on Mohs scale) has long been a favorite of jewelry collectors. Among some of its most popular colors are purple, pink, blue, and red. The gem is symbolic of faithfulness and loyalty, especially in friendship.

Most of the world’s citrine supply comes from Brazil. Topaz comes from there too. But, many other countries including Russia, Germany, Mexico, and the United States have it.

Citrine is another member of the quartz family, which also includes amethyst. Today, naturally colored citrine is extremely rare. As a result, most citrine is in fact amethyst that has been heat-treated to get its yellow color. Structurally perfect topaz features a color that ranges from yellow to brown. Impurities of chromium and iron give the stone the different colors mentioned above.

After tanzanite was added to the list of December birthstones in 2002. Thus, the month became the second one to feature three gemstones.  All three of these gemstones come in different varieties of blue—a perfect complement to the cold winter month. While they might share a common color, their meanings are quite different. Turquoise is a protective amulet, while zircon is symbolic of high energy. Lastly, tanzanite represents truth and dignity.

Zircon comes mainly from four countries: Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Burma, and Australia. Tanzanite is from Tanzania. Lastly, Turquoise deposits are in the United States, Iran, China, Chile, and Tibet.

Most zircon gemstones feature a brown color. But, color centers can form naturally if the trace elements are present. That gives zircon colors such as blue, green, and even gray. Tanzanite is typically found having a brown hue. However, heat treatments can “remove” this brown color to show its breathtaking violet. Turquoise is a mineral that consists of copper aluminum phosphate. The copper is the cause of its blue color. When the mineral contains traces of iron, it gets a green accent.