A Guide to the Birthstones of the Year
Arnold & Co - Canberra Centre
A Guide to the Birthstones of the Year
Every month has its own stone, and each one carries centuries of meaning, superstition and colour. Here are all twelve, in plain terms: what they are, what they are said to bring, and how they behave once they are worn every day.
01
January — Garnet
Deep wine red and quietly regal, garnet has been carried as a travelling talisman since antiquity, believed to guide the wearer safely home. It is hard-wearing enough for daily jewellery, appears in a surprising spread of colours from crimson to vivid green, and delivers real presence for a modest price.
02
February — Amethyst
Royal purple quartz, once valued alongside sapphire and long linked with a clear head and a calm one. Amethyst stays affordable at generous sizes, so it makes an easy statement stone, and it is durable enough for everyday wear, though years of strong sunlight can gently soften its colour.
03
March — Aquamarine
Named for sea water, aquamarine runs from the palest ice blue to a deep saturated teal, and sailors once carried it for safe passage. It is a beryl, closely related to emerald but considerably tougher, so it wears beautifully day to day. Bloodstone is March's traditional alternative.
04
April — Diamond
The hardest natural material on earth, and the reason it became the enduring symbol of a lasting promise. Nothing matches its brilliance, and lab-grown stones now offer the identical crystal at a far gentler price, so April babies can go larger, brighter, or both without compromise.
05
May — Emerald
The most romantic green in the gem world, prized since Cleopatra and long tied to renewal and devotion. Emeralds are almost always included, and those internal 'jardins' are part of the character rather than a fault. Being brittle, they are happiest in a protective setting such as a bezel.
06
June — Pearl
June is spoilt for choice. Pearl leads: organic, lustrous and quietly timeless, the only gem grown by a living creature. Moonstone brings a soft blue shimmer, and rare alexandrite shifts from green to red as the light changes. Pearls are soft, so keep them clear of perfume and wear them gently.
07
July — Ruby
The king of coloured stones. Ruby is corundum, the same mineral as sapphire, and second only to diamond for hardness, which makes that glowing red genuinely wearable every day. The most sought-after shade is 'pigeon's blood', a pure red with the faintest whisper of blue.
08
August — Peridot
A cheerful lime-to-olive green, peridot is one of very few gems that occurs in a single colour, and some of it arrived on earth inside meteorites. It is bright, sunny and affordable, though a little softer than sapphire, so a protective setting suits it. Spinel is August's second stone.
09
September — Sapphire
Famously blue, though sapphire also arrives in pink, yellow, peach and the rare padparadscha. Hard, tough and brilliant, it is the most practical coloured stone for an engagement ring, which is why it has crowned so many royal ones. A velvety cornflower blue remains the classic.
10
October — Opal
No two opals are alike; each plays its own private fireworks of colour. Opal is October's romantic choice, with tourmaline the more hard-wearing alternative in almost every shade, including watermelon pink and green. Opal is soft and water-sensitive, so set it protectively and wear it with a little care.
11
November — Citrine
November glows. Citrine runs from soft honey to deep madeira, while topaz spans golden imperial through to bright sky blue. Both are warm, generous and available at impressive sizes without an impressive price. Topaz is the harder of the two; citrine is famously easy-going.
12
December — Tanzanite
December has the richest choice of all. Tanzanite is a modern marvel, found in one small corner of Tanzania and glowing violet-blue with flashes of purple. Turquoise is the ancient traditional stone, and blue zircon carries near-diamond fire. Tanzanite is softer, so a bezel or protective setting is wise.
A Stone With a Date Attached
A birthstone turns a beautiful piece into a personal one. Some people wear their own, some wear a partner's or a child's, and some set two or three together so a whole family sits on one hand. Softer stones such as opal, pearl and tanzanite prefer a protective setting and gentler wear, while diamond, sapphire and ruby will happily take whatever a day throws at them.
Not tied to a date? Morganite is a beautiful choice for anyone, with its soft peachy-pink glow. Visit us at Arnold and Co Jewellers in Canberra Centre, and our team will help you choose the right stone or design a one-of-a-kind piece built around a date that matters.
Explore the Gemstone CollectionEvery piece is a work of art, and every story is unique.