Which Birthstone Should I Buy?

Your birthday is worth celebrating! After all, that is when you made your first mark on this world!! Life is about living so celebrate every journey you get to take around the sun! 

I had someone approach me and ask quite simply, if I know someone whose birthday is in January, how do I know what gemstone to choose for them? What about October? 

As we were gathering all the information we could on birthstones we realized there are so many variations in birthstone gems, it's no wonder this is confusing! 

Did you know December has three official birthstones? Yes, really! Three! (Plus two traditional birthstone on top of that). Don't get me started on October (my own birth month). I always thought my birthstone was Pink Topaz until I started selling birthstone jewelry, then I realized Opal is also my birthstone and Pink Tourmaline is actually the more commonly used birthstone! 

So how do you know which gem to buy for yourself or as a gift for someone else? Here we will show you all the glitz and glamour around birthstones and how the variations have come about for each month. We have a handy chart and a growing selection so you can find the right one for your budget and style.  

Traditional Birthstones

These gems became popular in the US between 2,000 and 4,000 years ago! Some traditional gems were given as gifts based on believes around the energies and protections different gemstones offered. Originally it was believed any gemstone would have a stronger  influence on the wearer during the stone's heightened energy month. Over time, people adopted the view that people born during that gemstone's energy month were also bestowed additional power when wearing that month's gemstone. This is how the idea of  birthstones originated. 

Modern Birthstones

In the early 1900's many jewelers started adopting what we now call modern gemstones. Some people believe the changes were made to make family style jewelry more appealing to look at with gemstones of similar, translucent qualities when every person in a family is represented. Other stories suggest the change was simply to standardize the birthstones for each month. 

Alternative Birthstones

Many people chose other alternative gemstones in the same color class as their traditional or modern birthstone. Occasionally someone will prefer a different stone for color or price and alternatives to represent their birth month are totally acceptable. 

Do I have to wear my birthstone? 

Nope! There are no firm rules about which gem to wear. The only real rules to follow when buying birthstone jewelry: Buy what you love and of course: 

1. Wear It

2. Own It

3. Show It

4. Rock It

So now you know all you need about birthstone jewelry, Here is a quick handy-dandy birthstone chart to use as a starting point!! If you want a deeper understanding of each gemstone, qualities, care and color see our Gemstone Information Guide.