January
Garnet
Best known for its rich red tones, garnet actually occurs in a wide variety of colours. This diverse gemstone group has been used in jewellery for centuries.
Birthstone Guide
Discover the gemstones traditionally associated with each month of the year. From January garnet to December turquoise, tanzanite and zircon, explore the colours, characteristics and jewellery traditions behind each birthstone.
February
Amethyst
Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz, ranging from delicate lilac to rich violet. Its distinctive colour has made it a long-standing favourite in jewellery.
March
Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a blue to blue-green variety of beryl, the same mineral family as emerald and morganite. Its fresh, watery colour gives the gemstone its distinctive character.
April
Diamond
Diamond is celebrated for exceptional hardness, brilliance and fire. Both natural and laboratory-grown diamonds share the same fundamental crystal structure and properties.
May
Emerald
Emerald is the celebrated green variety of beryl. Its colours range from lively green to deeper bluish-green, often accompanied by natural internal characteristics.
June
Pearl, Moonstone & Alexandrite
June has three recognised birthstones. Pearl is an organic gem material, moonstone is known for its floating adularescent glow, and alexandrite is prized for its remarkable colour-changing appearance.
July
Ruby
Ruby is the red variety of corundum and shares its mineral family with sapphire. Chromium gives ruby its characteristic red colour, which can range from pinkish-red to rich, saturated tones.
August
Peridot, Spinel & Sardonyx
August is represented by several gemstones. Peridot is recognised for its distinctive yellow-green colour, while spinel occurs in a broad colour range and sardonyx is a banded chalcedony material with a long jewellery history.
September
Sapphire
Sapphire is a variety of corundum most famously associated with blue, although natural sapphires occur in many colours. Its excellent hardness makes it particularly suitable for frequently worn jewellery.
October
Opal & Tourmaline
October is associated with opal and tourmaline. Precious opal can display spectacular play-of-colour, while tourmaline occurs naturally across an exceptionally wide range of colours.
November
Topaz & Citrine
November is represented by topaz and citrine. Topaz occurs in numerous colours, while citrine is the warm yellow to orange variety of quartz.
December
Turquoise, Tanzanite & Zircon
December has three recognised birthstones. Turquoise is known for its blue-green colour, tanzanite for its blue-violet appearance, and zircon for its strong brilliance and fire.