Traditional Birthstones by Month: Old Lists and Lore

Traditional birthstones by month are the older stones that people linked to each month long before jewellers agreed on a single standard list, and they hold some surprises. March once belonged to bloodstone rather than aquamarine, August to sardonyx rather than peridot, and December to turquoise, lapis lazuli, even ruby. If you have ever looked at a modern chart and felt your month’s stone did not quite fit, the older lists are worth a look.

This guide sets the old and new lists side by side, explains where they came from, and walks through each month’s traditional stones with their folklore, how people use them and how to look after them. For the wider picture of every stone, the crystal library is a good companion.

What does “traditional” mean for birthstones?

The word gets used in two different ways, and much of the confusion online comes from mixing them up.

• The old folk lists. From roughly the fifteenth to the early twentieth century, English-speaking societies passed around lists and short poems pairing each month with one or more gems. These are the oldest traditional birthstones by month in the Western custom, and they often give several stones for one month.
• The 1912 list. In August 1912 an American jewellers’ trade association met in Kansas City and adopted a standard list. Because it predates later revisions, many charts call it “traditional” and call the revised version “modern”.

Then there is the modern list itself, which was updated in 1952 and has gained new stones since: tanzanite for December in 2002 and spinel for August in 2016. Britain made its own standard list in 1937, and Japanese industry associations added ten new birthstones in 2021. So when someone says “the traditional birthstone”, it helps to ask: traditional according to which century? For a deeper look at how the lists evolved, see our piece on true birthstones by month.

Where the old birthstone lists came from

The story begins with twelve stones in the breastplate of Aaron, the high priest, described in the Book of Exodus. Each stone stood for one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. In the first century, the historian Josephus drew a connection between those twelve stones, the twelve months and the twelve signs of the zodiac. Translating the ancient gem names was never simple, and Josephus himself gave two different lists, so the exact stones were debated from the start.

Later, St. Jerome suggested that Christians look instead to the Foundation Stones of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation. In the eighth and ninth centuries, religious writings tied each stone to an apostle. The practice that grew from this was not wearing one stone for life but keeping a set of twelve and wearing each in its month.

The idea of a single stone tied to your birth month is only a few centuries old. Historians disagree on where it began: some place it in eighteenth-century Poland, others in Germany in the 1560s. By 1870, a set of month poems by an unknown author had been printed in America, and these verses helped fix the traditional stones of the English-speaking world in popular memory.

It is worth knowing that modern lists have drifted far from both the breastplate and the Foundation Stones. Changing tastes, trade interests and uncertain translations all played a part, and at least one historian dismissed the 1912 list as little more than salesmanship. That does not make the stones less meaningful, but it does mean no list has a monopoly on authenticity. Our editorial approach explains how we treat traditions like these: as living customs, not fixed laws.

Traditional birthstones by month: a side-by-side chart

Here are the main lists together. The first column is the old folk tradition, the second is the 1912 American list, the third is the British list as revised in 2013, and the fourth is the current American list.

A few patterns jump out. January, February and April barely changed in five centuries. March, June, August and December changed the most. And the 1952 revision did a lot of quiet work: it added alexandrite to June, citrine to November and pink tourmaline to October, replaced December’s lapis lazuli with zircon, and swapped March so that aquamarine became the primary stone and bloodstone the alternative. If you prefer a colour-led view, our birthstone colours chart lays the same months out by hue, and the birthstones chart by month gives a quick printable reference.

Month-by-month notes on the traditional stones

The meanings below come from crystal traditions and folklore. They describe what people have believed and how they use the stones, not proven effects.

January: garnet

Garnet is the one stone every list agrees on. It is usually seen as a deep wine red, though garnets come in other colours too. In crystal traditions it is linked with devotion, loyalty and steady energy through the darkest weeks of the year, and some people keep a tumbled garnet (a small stone smoothed and polished in a rotating barrel) on a desk as a reminder of commitment. Our January birthstone guide covers its colours and lore in depth.

February: amethyst, hyacinth and pearl

Amethyst, the purple member of the quartz family, has held February for centuries. Its name comes from an old Greek idea of staying sober, and in modern crystal practice it is associated with calm and clear thinking. Many people place an amethyst cluster (a group of crystals grown together on a shared base) near where they meditate. The older lists also named hyacinth, an old gem name, and pearl. You can read more about amethyst’s relatives in our quartz and family collection.

March: bloodstone and jasper

Before aquamarine took over, March belonged to bloodstone, a dark green stone flecked with red spots, and to jasper. Folklore ties bloodstone to courage and vitality, which suits a month of early spring. It was the primary March stone on the 1912 list and only became the alternative in 1952. Many March birthdays still prefer it to aquamarine’s pale blue, and it makes a striking tumbled pocket stone.

April: diamond and sapphire

Diamond has stayed with April since the old lists, which also paired it with sapphire. The British list adds rock crystal, the old name for clear quartz, as a more everyday choice. In crystal traditions diamond stands for constancy and clarity, which is why it became the classic stone of lasting promises. To see how diamond compares with softer gems, our explanation of the Mohs hardness scale (a ranking of minerals by how easily they scratch) is a helpful primer.

May: emerald and agate

Emerald’s vivid green has long been linked with love, renewal and the fresh growth of late spring. The traditional lists added agate, a banded stone in the quartz family that many people use for grounding and steadiness. Britain’s modern list offers chrysoprase, a soft apple green, as its alternative. Agate is a practical choice for daily carrying or a worry stone.

June: cat’s eye, turquoise and agate

June has changed more than almost any month. The old lists gave it stones showing a cat’s-eye shimmer, a narrow band of light that seems to glide across a polished stone, along with turquoise and agate. The 1912 list moved to pearl and moonstone, and alexandrite arrived in 1952. Moonstone, with its soft inner glow, is tied to intuition and the moon in crystal traditions; our Moon and light stones collection explores it alongside labradorite and sunstone.

July: turquoise and onyx

Ruby is July’s stone today, but the older tradition gave the month turquoise and onyx. Turquoise, a sky-blue to greenish stone, is associated in many cultures with protection, especially for travellers. Black onyx is linked with strength and focus. Britain’s list keeps a nod to the older ways by including carnelian, a warm orange stone. Our July birthstones guide covers ruby, carnelian and onyx together.

August: sardonyx, carnelian, moonstone and topaz

Sardonyx, a banded stone with layers of reddish brown and white, is August’s most enduring traditional stone. It has been associated in folklore with courage and happy marriages. The old lists also named carnelian, moonstone and topaz. The 1912 list paired sardonyx with peridot, and spinel joined in 2016. See our August birthstones guide for all three modern choices.

September: chrysolite

September’s older stone was chrysolite, a historic gem name whose meaning has shifted over time. Sapphire took the month in 1912, and Britain’s list adds lapis lazuli, the deep blue stone flecked with gold-coloured specks. In crystal traditions both sapphire and lapis are linked with wisdom and truthful speech. Our September birthstones guide follows that lore further.

October: opal and aquamarine

Opal, with its shifting flashes of colour, has belonged to October on nearly every list. The old tradition paired it with aquamarine, and tourmaline arrived on the 1912 list. Opal is associated with imagination and creativity, and people often wear it in pendants rather than rings, where it is less exposed to knocks.

November: topaz and pearl

Topaz has been November’s stone for centuries, with pearl as an old alternative. Citrine joined in 1952. Golden topaz and citrine share a warm palette that many people associate with clarity, optimism and the last light of autumn.

December: bloodstone and ruby

The oldest lists gave December bloodstone and ruby. The 1912 list switched to turquoise and lapis lazuli, then lapis was replaced by zircon in 1952 and tanzanite was added in 2002. Turquoise is the one thread linking the 1912 list to today. For anyone who wants a December stone with real history, turquoise and lapis are both strong choices.

Traditional vs modern lists: which should you use?

There is no wrong answer, but each option suits different people.

• Choose the traditional stones if you love history, want a stone with centuries of folklore, or simply prefer the look. Bloodstone, sardonyx, agate and onyx also tend to be sturdy, everyday stones that suit tumbled pieces and carved beads.
• Choose the modern stones if you are buying a gift and want something the recipient will recognise from any jewellery counter, or if you prefer transparent faceted gems.
• Use both if your month has a split personality. Plenty of March birthdays wear aquamarine and keep a bloodstone on the nightstand.

Some people also look beyond the calendar. The tropical zodiac has its own set of stones, which run on sign dates rather than months: Aries has bloodstone, Leo has onyx and Virgo has carnelian, for example. Our zodiac birthstones guide lists every sign. In Hindu tradition, gemstones are linked to celestial bodies rather than months, and the nine gems of the Navaratna are chosen through an astrological chart drawn up at birth. These are separate systems, so it is worth deciding which one speaks to you before you buy.

A worked example

Imagine a friend born on 10 August who wants a birthstone pendant. Peridot is the obvious modern choice. But the traditional birthstones by month give her sardonyx, which appears on the old list, the 1912 list, the British list and the current American list. Sardonyx is the one August stone that has never dropped off. If she values continuity, sardonyx is arguably the most “traditional” option of all. As a Leo, she could also look at onyx, the zodiac stone for her sign, and notice how closely it relates to sardonyx in name and banding. One person, three meaningful choices, and a much better story behind the gift.

How people use traditional birthstones

The older stones lend themselves to many personal practices. None of these replace medical or mental-health care; they are rituals people find meaningful or comforting.

1. Wearing in its month. The medieval practice was to own all twelve stones and wear each in turn. Some collectors recreate this with a set of tumbled stones or a bracelet of interchangeable beads.
2. Meditation. Hold your traditional stone during a few minutes of quiet breathing and focus on the quality its folklore suggests: courage for bloodstone, steadiness for agate, devotion for garnet.
3. Carrying. A tumbled stone in a pocket or small pouch is the simplest way to keep a birthstone close.
4. Placement at home. Many people set a birthstone on a windowsill, desk or bedside table as a small personal marker. Some align stones with chakras (in yoga traditions, energy centres said to run along the body), for instance placing green stones near the heart during meditation.
5. Gifting. A traditional stone with a handwritten note about its history makes a thoughtful birthday gift.

If you would like to begin a set of all twelve, Spirit Magicka, the journal’s own crystal shop, is one place to start browsing.

Caring for the older stones

The stones on traditional lists vary widely, from very hard diamond and sapphire to delicate pearl and opal. A few general habits keep them looking their best:

• Wipe with a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth after wearing.
• Store each piece separately in a pouch or lined box, so harder stones do not scratch softer ones.
• Take off jewellery for cleaning, gardening, swimming and the gym.
• Avoid harsh chemicals, perfume sprays and ultrasonic cleaners unless you know the stone tolerates them.
• If you are not sure how a stone reacts to water, skip soaking and water-based cleansing rituals and use a dry method such as moonlight or smoke instead.
• Keep small tumbled stones out of reach of young children and pets, as they are a choking hazard.

Our hardness guides help you judge durability before you wear a stone daily; the quartz hardness guide is especially useful for amethyst, agate, jasper and carnelian.

Common mistakes with birthstone lists

• Assuming one list is the only correct one. Old, 1912, British and modern lists all have their own history. Calling one “fake” misses the point that birthstones have always been a shifting custom.
• Mixing up month and zodiac stones. A Pisces born on 5 March has a month stone (bloodstone or aquamarine) and a sign stone (amethyst). They are different systems.
• Forgetting that old gem names change. Words like chrysolite and hyacinth did not always mean what a modern gemmologist would mean. Treat the oldest lists as poetic records rather than precise mineral IDs.
• Choosing beauty over durability for daily wear. A delicate stone in a ring that takes knocks every day will show wear quickly. A pendant or earrings may suit softer stones better.
• Overlooking alternates. If the modern stone is outside your budget or taste, the traditional alternative is not a lesser option. Often it is the older and more storied one.

The traditional birthstones by month remind us that this custom has always been personal and a little flexible. Whether you keep bloodstone for March, sardonyx for August or lapis for December, you are choosing a stone with roots that reach back through centuries of folklore. Explore each one further in the Earth treasures collection or the full birthstones by each month guide, and when you are ready to hold one in your hand, Spirit Magicka is the journal’s own shop.