Birthstones – Learn About Your Special Lucky Gem

Modern birthstones correspond to the month of your birth.  It is considered lucky to wear your birthstone.  Learn about your own special gem.

January – Garnet

• Color is often deep red but can also be yellow, orange, pink, green or violet


• Comes from the Latin word for pomegranate


• Symbolizes faith and truth


• Believed helpful in preventing and curing blood diseases and infections


• Powers are healing, strength and protection


• Ruling planet is Mars


• Mohs hardness of 7.0 to 7.5


• It is said that Noah used a bright red garnet as a light for the ark


• First chakra at the base of the spine is represented by garnet

February – Amethyst

• Color is purple


• Comes from the Greek word for sobriety


• Symbolic of spirituality and piety


• Believed helpful in preventing overindulgence


• Powers include healing, spiritual uplifting, happiness


• Ruling planet is Saturn


• Mohs hardness of 7.0


• This royal purple stone has been favored by monarchs throughout history


• Seventh chakra at the crown is represented by amethyst

March – Aquamarine

• Color is pale blue


• Comes from the Roman word "Aqua," meaning water, and "mare," meaning sea


• Symbolizes foresight, courage and happiness


• Believed to reverse poisoning and useful in fortune telling


• Powers include good luck, reducing stress and enhancing intuition


• Ruling planet is Neptune


• Mohs hardness of 7.5 to 8.0


• Sailors often carried aquamarines to ward off seasickness and keep them safe while at sea


• The throat chakra, number five, is represented by the aquamarine

April – Diamond

• Colorless diamonds sparkle with reflected light but diamonds can be any color including black


• The word diamond comes from the Greek word "adamastos," which means invincible  The ancient Hindu word for diamond was "Vajra," meaning lightning


• Symbolic of invincibility, courage and strength


• Believed to have strong medicinal properties


• Powers include protection and everlasting love


• Ruling planet is Venus


• Mohs hardness of 10


• Diamond rings are traditionally worn on the third finger of the left hand because the ancient Egyptians believed that the “vein of love” ran from the heart to the tip of this finger


• The diamond can cleanse the crown, or seventh, chakra

May – Emerald

• Color is green


• The word emerald comes from the Latin word "smaragdus", meaning green gem


• Symbolizes faith, fertility and goodness


• Believed to enhance eyesight and mental clarity, they were often carried on long journeys to keep the traveler safe


• Powers include fertility and clairvoyance


• Ruling planets are Jupiter, Mercury and Venus plus the Earth’s moon


• Mohs hardness of 7.5 to 8


• Legend claims that Nero wore eyeglasses made from emeralds to enhance and protect his eyesight while watching the gladiator games


• The fourth, chakra of the heart, is represented by the emerald

June – Pearl

• The only monthly birthstone that is not a stone, pearls range in color from pure white or pink to gray or black


• The Latin word for pearl means unique


• Symbolic of innocence, purity and wealth


• Believed to change bad fortune into good fortune


• Powers include enhanced virility and the ability to attract the help of influential people


• The Earth’s moon rules the pearl


• Mohs hardness of 2.5 to 4.5


• Ancient people believed that pearls were the tears of angels, goddesses or mermaids


• Pearls enhance the solar plexus chakra, number three

July – Ruby

• When red, the mineral Corundum is called a ruby (other colors are considered sapphires)


• The word ruby comes from the Latin word “rubeos” for red and the ancient Hindus called the ruby the "Rajnapura" or King of Gems


• Symbolizes heat, passion and power


• Believed to make the wearer wise


• Powers include protection, healing and bringing love


• Ruling planets are Mars and Saturn


• Mohs hardness of 9.0


• Some believe that a ruby will turn a darker color when danger is imminent and return to their original color when the danger has passed


• Rubies stimulate the heart chakra, number four

August – Peridot

• Color is light green, yellow-green or olive green


• Peridot is a French word derived from the Arabic word "faridat" which means gem


• Symbolic of the sun and good luck


• Believed to protect against evil and nightmares


• Has the power to attract fame and fortune and bolster the confidence of an insecure person


• Ruled by Saturn, Venus and the sun, it appears almost clear in direct sunlight and retains color even in low light


• Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7


• In the past, peridot was formed into goblets because legend claimed that any medicine drank from the stone goblets had increased efficacy


• As a protection against jealousy, peridot relates to the fourth, heart chakra

September – Sapphire

• Any non-red form of corundum is classified as a sapphire, most typically they are blue


• Sapphire comes from the Persian word "safir", which means beloved of Saturn


• Symbolizes truth, sincerity and faithfulness


• Believed to make a stupid man wise and an bad-tempered man agreeable


• Has the power to protect against poverty and promote spiritual enlightenment


• Ruled by the planet Saturn


• Mohs hardness of 9.0


• The ancient Persians believed that the earth rested on a great sapphire and the blue of the sky was a reflection of the stone


• The sapphire represents the fifth chakra, the throat chakra

October – Opal

• The color of an opal is hard to describe, iridescent and changeable


• The word originates  from the Greek “opallus” which means to see a change in color; the Romans called the opal "Cupid Paederos”, a child as beautiful as love


• Symbolic of hope, innocence and purity


• Believed to cleanse foul-smelling air, it is considered bad luck to carry an opal if it is not your birthstone


• Powers include invisibility and protection against spiritual breakdown


• Ruled by the planet Venus


• Mohs hardness of 5 to 6.5


• The ancient Arabs claimed that opals fell to earth in flashes of lightning


• The opal is beneficial to all seven of the chakras

November – Citrine

• The golden quartz, citrine is the official birthstone of November but golden topaz is also claimed by this month


• The name citrine has the same roots as our word citrus and means yellow or golden


• Symbolizes creativity, hope and strength


• Believed to bring light and clarity to the owner


• Gives the power to see through deceptions, banish fears and protect against snake bites


• Ruled by the planet Jupiter


• Mohs hardness of 7.0


• Considered to be the merchant’s stone, a citrine placed in a money drawer will draw prosperity


• The yellow color of citrine makes it especially beneficial to the third, solar plexus, chakra

December – Blue Topaz

• Only the blue variety of topaz, the color created by irradiation, is recognized as the modern birthstone of December with turquoise a second alternative


• The name comes from Sanskrit “tapa” which means fire


• Symbolic of love and fidelity


• The ancient Greeks believed that a person wearing a topaz could become invisible and experience an increase in strength


• Allegedly has the power to cure insomnia, asthma and hemorrhages


• Blue topaz is ruled by the planet Venus


• Mohs hardness of 8.0


• Legend says that blue topaz thrown into a pot of boiling water will cool the water – and hot tempers as well!


• Blue topaz is soothing to the throat, fifth, chakra

Our information is based on modern birthstones for each month.  Many other birthstone lists exist.  Enjoy finding and wearing your birthstone or the birthstones of loved ones.