What Does Your Birthstone Mean?

Birthstones aren’t just beautiful gemstones to commemorate the months of our birth. Each stone itself has so much more meaning beyond just the month it represents. Every month has had multiple different birthstones over time, too, but here are some of the most prominent stones that I’ve made part of my Birthstone Cluster Collection and which are now available to add on individually to necklaces on my site. Of course I don’t endorse these stones having any healing properties, but it’s fun to know some of the reasons why they’re significant. It’s also fun to find great reasons to wear stones that aren’t your birthstone:

The January birthstone, garnet, with its rich crimson hue, is particularly luxurious and elegant. Garnet is named for the latin word for pomegranate because of its luscious color. Garnet is associated with creativity, purification, love, strength and protection. 

The February birthstone, amethyst, with its violet hue, is particularly romantic and alluring. Amethyst is associated with balance, temperance, pleasant dreams, positive energy and healing. 

The March birthstone, aquamarine, with its sea blue-green hue, is particularly mystifying. Aquamarine is rare and precious and is associated with courage, calm, clarity and tolerance. 

The April birthstone, diamond, is possibly the most coveted of all. Because diamonds are rare and valuable and diamond chips aren’t readily available, we’ve substituted a beautiful alternative: the Herkimer diamond. Herkimer diamonds are quartz crystals that are double-terminated; each end of the crystal has a point. Quartz is associated with healing, enlightenment and clarity. 

Double-terminated quartz, also called “Herkimer Diamond,” makes a gorgeous substitution for diamond as the April birthstone in my Birthstone Cluster Collection. Here is a line of Herkimer Diamonds as a Birthstone Strand Necklace.

The May birthstone, emerald, with its rich green hue, is particularly exciting and energizing. Emerald is associated with love, domestic bliss, friendship and positive actions. 

The May birthstone, Emerald, as featured in my Birthstone Cluster Necklace with a personalized stamped brass monogram.

The June birthstone is often said to be Alexandrite, one of the rarest and most expensive gemstones on earth, but we prefer its equally elegant counterpart, the pearl. Pearls are associated with nurturing, calm, integrity and femininity. 

The July birthstone, ruby, with its lush red hue, is particularly romantic. Ruby, a variety of corundum, is coveted and second only to diamond in its hardness. It is associated with passion, protection, peace and prosperity. 

The August birthstone, peridot, with its otherworldly green hue, evokes magic and mystery. Peridot, a form of olivine, is associated with protection, happiness, well-being and transformation.

Peridot, the August birthstone, seems to glow from within with eerie green light, especially when it’s set against silver. Check out the August Birthstone Cluster Necklace here.

The September birthstone, sapphire, with its deep blue hue, is rare, cool and dreamy. Sapphire, a variety of corundum, is associated with wisdom, spirituality and kindness. 

The October birthstone, Pink Tourmaline, an alternative to opal, has been associated with creativity and enlightenment. In many cultures throughout history it has been a stone of protection. 

The November birthstone, citrine, with its amber hue, is particularly warm and inviting. Citrine, a variety of quartz, is associated with clarity, energy, creativity and imagination. 

The December birthstone, turquoise, with its blue, greenish blue and sometimes robin-egg blue hues, is a variegated surprise, kind of like azure confetti that comes out of the earth. Turquoise is associated with protection. 

It’s typically a face-off between blue topaz and turquoise for December’s birthstone, and we’ve chosen turquoise for the win. Turquoise, with its blue, greenish blue and sometimes robin-egg blue hues, is a variegated surprise, kind of like azure confetti that comes out of the earth. Turquoise is one of the oldest stones used by humans, found in artifacts as old as 5,000 B.C. Turquoise is associated with protection. Check out my turquoise Birthstone Strand Necklace featured above here.

Simple, Elegant Birthstone Jewelry, Just In Time For Mother's Day and Wedding Season

Simple, elegant birthstone strand necklaces and earrings make perfect Mother’s Day, birthday and bridesmaid gifts this spring. You can even select your own stones to create a custom multi-stone birthstone strand necklace.

For more than a century, birthstones have been a delightful way to celebrate your children, loved ones and yourself in a simple, gorgeous, meaningful way. To me, birthstones are a language for people who know birthstones, much like folks who are really into astrology sort of have their own language. This proud Virgo has always adored her birthstone—sapphire. But I notice immediately when I meet a person wearing other birthstone jewelry. I can see right away that someone very dear to them is an August baby. Or maybe their sweet grandmother left them her collection of amethyst jewelry because they shared a February birth month, much like my incredible grandmother gave me her September gemstones because she adored that we shared a birth month. I like to guess which precious person their birthstones represent, and if I’m lucky, they’ll share the story.

Last year I created a collection of birthstone jewelry that is still very dear to my heart, especially because I originally created it to give to my bridesmaids, mother, mother-in-law and my honorary bridesmaids at my wedding (See all of my handmade and heirloom wedding jewelry here!). This spring I added to it with a line of necklaces and earrings that are simple, elegant, straightforward pieces the layer well when you’ve already got a special necklace you wear all the time or you just can’t pick one necklace to wear. My Birthstone Cluster Strands represent all of the colors of the year and come on individual card backs that explain just what they mean and why these stones are important. Their matching earrings are just as elegant and versatile and also pair perfectly with my original Birthstone Cluster Necklaces, which feature pendants made of birthstones.

Below is a sample of the many birthstones and styles available now. To view the full collection of Birthstone Cluster Necklaces, Birthstone Cluster Strands, and Birthstone Cluster earrings, click here.

Faceted sapphire stones represent September’s birthstone in our simple, elegant birthstone jewelry collection that’s perfect for layering. Find the matching faceted sapphire earrings here.

The January birthstone, garnet, with its rich crimson hue, is particularly luxurious and elegant. Garnet is named for the latin word for pomegranate because of its luscious color. Garnet is associated with creativity, purification, love, strength and protection. Find our January Birthstone Jewelry here. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

The May birthstone, emerald, with its rich green hue, is particularly exciting and energizing. Emerald is associated with love, domestic bliss, friendship and positive actions. Find our May Birthstone Jewelry here.

September and August birthstones shine in the light on these birthstone cluster earrings. The August birthstone, peridot, with its otherworldly green hue, evokes magic and mystery. Peridot, a form of olivine, is associated with protection, happiness, well-being and transformation. The September birthstone, sapphire, with its deep blue hue, is rare, cool and dreamy. Sapphire, a variety of corundum, is associated with wisdom, spirituality and kindness. Find our September and August birthstone jewelry here. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

Choose your stones to create your own custom multi-stone birthstone necklace and represent everyone in your brood.

Our original Birthstone Cluster Necklaces feature birthstones set into cluster pendants and are customizable with stamped discs that fit up to three letters. Monograms, the word “mom” and a heart shape fit perfectly. Photo by Collin Buchanan.

The November birthstone, citrine, with its amber hue, is particularly warm and inviting. Citrine, a variety of quartz, is associated with clarity, energy, creativity and imagination. Each birthstone necklace comes on a card back that explains the stone’s significance. Find our birthstone jewelry here.