Ever noticed how colours ubiquitous in fashion seem to keep changing? Maybe it's the season, maybe it's your mood. Or maybe it’s just your birth month. From July's scorching ruby-reds to December's cool turquoise-blues, see how your birth month can help shape your colour palette (and possibly lead the style charge this season). Below is a list of birthstone colours and their meanings.
What are birthstones?
Birthstones are gems associated with a person’s month of birth. Each stone carries its own history, properties, belief system, and most importantly, meaning. This makes them terrific, meaningful gifts for those closest to you. You’ll typically find birthstones set into rings, necklaces, charms, earrings and more.
Birthstones have a biblical origin, specifically from the book of Exodus in the Bible on the breastplate of Aaron. The breastplate was inlaid with twelve gemstones that represented the twelve tribes of Israel. The gemstones were: emerald, sapphire, diamond, topaz, carbuncle, sardius, agate, ligure, amethyst, onyx, jasper, and beryl. Later, in the 1st and 5th centuries AD, Flavius Josephus and St. Jerome suggested a zodiac link to the gems. In the 18th century, Jewish gem merchants developed the idea further by associating birthstones with each birth month.
List Of Birthstone Colours By Month
January: Garnet
The first month of the new year calls for a regal birthstone colour. Garnet, with its signature, deep ruby-red hue, symbolizes protection, love, and light. Pick from reddish shades like wine, burgundy, and carmine, or even go beyond to the realm of purple, green, yellow, and orange. All these colours are yours to wear during this time of brighter days and eternal possibilities.
February: Amethyst
February's birthstone is the enchanting amethyst. A tinted form of quartz, this birthstone’s colour can range from a tranquil pale hue to a vibrant royal purple — the latter of which is more valuable and sought after. Amethysts are often associated with mental clarity, enhance focus and creativity.
March: Aquamarine
March is the month of renewal and revival. Its birthstone, Aquamarine, is a fresh, watery green — the perfect shade for spring. This beautiful birthstone, named after the Latin word for “seawater,” is the ideal accessory for a bright, vibrant ensemble. Its serene, calming appearance make it the perfect companion for those seeking peace and balance in their lives.
April: Diamond
April's gemstone is one of the most treasured in the world: the diamond. Representing irrevocable love, strength, and success, diamonds shine in a range of brilliant hues: from fiery reds to summery yellows, midnight blues, to the ever timeless colourless or white. These gems have been a classic choice for engagement and wedding rings for centuries — they last through the ages, serving as an eternal symbol of love and commitment.
May: Emerald
The birthstone colour for May is Emerald. The most highly valued of the beryls, this precious gemstone has been a favourite of royalty and nobility for millennia. Emeralds of the highest quality possess a brilliant, deep green. The fewer the inclusions, the higher the value. As for its meaning: it's long been associated with growth, love, fertility, and wisdom.
June: Pearl and Alexandrite
June's birthstone is the pearl and the exotic Alexandrite; both are associated with refinement, elegance, and style.
Pearls can be found in many shapes and sizes, and typically come in a range of soft whites and creams. Their luster is said to represent purity and protection from harm.
The gemstone for June is the rare and beautiful alexandrite, believed to be a stone of luck and good fortune. The Alexandrite birthstone displays a fascinating interplay of colour under different sources of light, changing from a raspberry purple-red to a lush, rich green.
July: Ruby
July babies show their power and passion through rubies! This well-known gem can be found in a variety of pink to blood red shades. With their lurid hue, rubies are believed to imbue strength, empowering those who wear them with regal energy.
August: Spinel
August's birthstone is the beautiful Spinel. Known for crisp colours such as vivid pink, lavender, red or blue, and a superior luster, this versatile and eye-catching gem is perfect for bridal occasions and beyond, representing love and longevity.
September: Sapphire
September celebrates sapphire — a birthstone that stands out for its rich, captivating spectrum of glorious colours: blues, yellows, and more (but never red; we call those rubies!). Factors like colour, size, and weight determine its price.
Sapphires have long been associated with royalty and divine communication; ancient kings and queens believed wearing the stone would bring inspiration and excellence. This birthstone’s colour depicts wisdom, truth, and loyalty.
October: Opal
Considered a symbol of faithfulness and assurance, the opal has been prized for its unique play-of-colour — where flashes of yellow, blue, red, and green seem to appear and disappear as the gemstone is moved. This birthstone is believed to inspire clarity, discernment, and insight.
November: Topaz and Citrine
November's birthstone is topaz. From brown to blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple — this gemstone presents almost boundless colour options. Symbolizing truth, friendship, and divine communication, this beautiful and richly coloured gem is a blessing on many levels.
November also celebrates the citrine birthstone. This sunny and bright yellow stone radiates warmth and happiness. Greco-Roman lore holds that citrine is a powerful catalyst for productivity. And much like its November sister stone, citrine’s vivid golden colour has also made it synonymous with wealth and success.
December: Turquoise
December babies are lucky to have the captivating tanzanite as their birthstone. Its dazzling purplish blue colour is highly prized. Ranging from deep blue with purple undertones to lavender-blue, almost violet, its intense colour is striking, especially when set in pendants or rings. This December birthstone is believed to be a stone of transformation and perception, encouraging progress in difficult times.
Final Thoughts
Birthstones have long been at the forefront of personalization, and that isn’t about to change anytime soon. With this list of birthstone colours and meanings, you now have all you need to pick out the perfect gemstone for you or that special someone.
From dazzling diamonds to lurid amethysts and ever-changing opals, ascend to your birthstone throne in true celebratory flurry — shop online from DeGem gemstone jewellery, or book an appointment with us to custom one-of-a-kind birthstone jewellery with meaningful design.
