Birthstones Modern versus Traditional

Birthstones Modern versus Traditional

The idea of a single birthstone for each month is a modern idea with a long history, but today's consumers can choose gems from traditional or modern lists.

Birthstones Modern versus Traditional

The list of traditional or ancient birthstones most well-known in the United States actually originated in Poland between the 16th and 18th centuries. In 1912, the National Association of Jewelers released a list of so-called “modern birthstones.” The modern list differed somewhat from the traditional, most notably by including only transparent gems. Presumably, this made it easier for jewelers to create “mother’s rings,” which feature the birthstones of a woman’s children, in a manner more suited to modern tastes. (Imagine trying to create a ring with a pearl, a turquoise cabochon, and a diamond and emerald, both faceted).

To this day, jewelers continue to add options to the modern birthstone chart. For example, spinel, citrine, and tanzanite are recent modern additions.
In the United States today, people draw freely from both lists and pick the stones that appeal to them. Some traditional gems are also less expensive (like turquoise) or more readily available (like cultivated pearls) than their modern counterparts. Thus, some traditional stones remain popular.

What is a birthstone?

A birthstone is a gemstone that represents a person's period of birth, which is usually the month or zodiac sign. Birthstones are often worn as jewelry or as a pendant necklace

Birthstones by time frame

Month 15th–20th century U.S.
(1912)		 UK
(2013)		 U.S. (2019)
January garnet garnet garnet garnet
February amethyst, 
hyacinth, 
pearl		 amethyst amethyst amethyst
March bloodstone, 
jasper		 bloodstone, 
aquamarine 		aquamarine, 
bloodstone		 aquamarine, 
bloodstone
April diamond, 
sapphire 		diamond diamond, 
rock crystal		 diamond
May emerald, 
agate		 emerald emerald, 
chrysoprase		 emerald
June cat's eye, 
turquoise, 
agate		 pearl, 
moonstone		 pearl, 
moonstone		 pearl, 
moonstone, 
alexandrite
July turquoise, 
onyx		 ruby ruby, 
carnelian		 ruby
August sardonyx, 
carnelian, 
moonstone, 
topaz 		sardonyx, 
peridot 		peridot, 
sardonyx		 peridot, 
spinel, 
sardonyx
September chrysolite sapphire sapphire, 
lapis lazuli		 sapphire
October opal, 
aquamarine 		opal, 
tourmaline 		opal opal, 
tourmaline
November topaz, 
pearl 		topaz topaz, 
citrine 		topaz, 
citrine
December bloodstone, 
ruby 		turquoise, 
lapis lazuli 		tanzanite, turquoise turquoise, 
zircon, 
tanzanite
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