Birthstone Chart by Month and Zodiac

Zodiac Birthstone Chart

Zodiac signs cross two calendar months, so a zodiac birthstone chart needs a stated method. On this site, the modern sign stone comes from the standardized month containing most days of that sign. The traditional column records a separate historical zodiac association; it is not part of the 1912 monthly standard.

AriesDiamond · traditional BloodstoneTaurusEmerald · traditional SapphireGeminiPearl · traditional AgateCancerRuby · traditional EmeraldLeoPeridot · traditional OnyxVirgoBlue Sapphire · traditional CarnelianLibraOpal · traditional PeridotScorpioTopaz · traditional AquamarineSagittariusTurquoise · traditional TopazCapricornGarnet · traditional RubyAquariusAmethyst · traditional GarnetPiscesAquamarine · traditional Amethyst

The History of Birthstone Charts

The idea that specific gemstones belong to specific months is ancient, but the first formal birthstone chart is surprisingly recent. Jewelers of America traces the official U.S. list to 1912, when its predecessor, the American National Retail Jewelers Association, established a standardized set of calendar-month stones. It did not create an official zodiac list.

The U.S. list changed as the jewelry trade changed. Alexandrite was added as a June option in 1952, tanzanite joined December in 2002, and spinel joined August in 2016. That history is why current charts can show more than one accepted modern stone for a month.

The Traditional Birthstone System

Before the 1912 standard, birthstone lists varied by region, religion, and century. The most influential tradition traces back to the first-century historian Josephus, who connected the twelve gems on the High Priest’s breastplate (described in the Book of Exodus) with the twelve months and the twelve zodiac signs. By the Middle Ages, European lapidaries — books cataloging stones and their supposed virtues — had adapted the list to local gems and local beliefs.

Some traditional associations are very old: garnet for January appears in fifteenth-century German texts. Others reflect regional customs that the modern list replaced — bloodstone for March, for example, was standard in Britain but unfamiliar in America. The traditional list was never standardized by a single authority, which is why sources sometimes disagree on one or two months.

Throughout this site, we present both systems side by side. Where the modern and traditional stones differ, we note both and explain the historical reason for the difference. There is no “right” list — only older and newer conventions, each with its own story.

Birthstone Colors and Symbolism

Each birthstone carries distinctive colors that have driven its cultural associations for centuries. January’s garnet ranges from deep red to orange, connected in medieval texts to vitality and safe travel. April’s diamond is valued not just for its hardness (10 on the Mohs scale) but for the prismatic fire that made it a symbol of clarity and endurance. August’s peridot is one of few gems that occurs in only one color — an olive green that ancient Egyptians called the “gem of the sun.” December’s tanzanite, found only near Mount Kilimanjaro, shifts from blue to violet depending on the light and viewing angle.

Color also matters practically: a stone’s hue determines how it pairs with metal settings and everyday wear. The chart above lists each month’s associated color alongside the stone name for quick reference. If color matters most to you, compare the modern and traditional columns — March’s aquamarine (pale blue) and bloodstone (dark green with red specks) offer very different looks for the same birth month.

How to Choose Your Birthstone

If your birth month has more than one listed stone, the choice is personal rather than prescriptive. Some people prefer the modern stone for its durability in everyday jewelry — diamond (April), ruby (July), and sapphire (September) rank 9–10 on the Mohs hardness scale, making them resistant to scratches in rings and bracelets. Others choose the traditional stone for its historical resonance: bloodstone for March carries millennia of cultural symbolism that aquamarine, its modern replacement, does not share.

A practical approach: browse both columns for your month, check the durability and care requirements of each stone, and pick the one that suits your lifestyle and personal connection. The zodiac sign column may suggest a third option drawn from astrological tradition. Read the individual zodiac birthstone guides for care advice, wearing tips, and deeper meaning for each stone.