Birthstone Finder for Your Month and Zodiac Sign

How to use it

Enter your birthday. You do not need the year for the stones, but the date field asks for one, so any year will do. You get:

• Your birthstones by month, from the modern list published by GIA.
• Your Sun sign, based on the usual date ranges, with a note if your birthday sits on the edge between two signs.
• The stones most often linked with your sign in modern zodiac lists, each linked to its entry in our crystal meanings guide.

Two different traditions

Birthstones and zodiac stones are often confused, but they come from different places.

Birthstones by month are a jewelry tradition. In 1912 the American National Retail Jewelers Association, now Jewelers of America, adopted a standard list so that customers and stores would agree. It has been updated a few times since: alexandrite was added for June, citrine for November, tanzanite for December in 2002 and spinel for August in 2016. GIA publishes the current list.

Zodiac stones follow your Sun sign rather than the calendar month. The idea is older but looser. The first-century historian Josephus linked the twelve stones of the high priest's breastplate to the months and to the signs, and later writers drew up many different lists. Modern zodiac stone lists usually mix in the sign's birthstones with stones chosen for their color or the sign's ruling planet.

The modern birthstone list

Cusp birthdays

The Sun does not change signs on the same calendar date every year. Depending on the year and your time zone, the change can come a day earlier or later than the dates in most lists. If your birthday is within a day of a change, enter your birth date, time and place in the birth chart calculator to see which sign the Sun was actually in.

Caring for your stone

Birthstones differ a lot in how much wear they can take. Diamond (10 on the Mohs scale), sapphire and ruby (9) and topaz (8) cope well with daily wear. Pearl, at 2.5 to 3, scratches easily and dislikes perfume and hairspray. Opal (5 to 6.5) and turquoise (5 to 6) are softer and can be damaged by heat or harsh cleaners. For most stones, warm water, mild soap and a soft brush are the safest way to clean them. Our crystal care guide covers storage and the stones that should never go in water or sunlight.

A note on meanings

The traditional meanings attached to stones, such as calm for amethyst or courage for bloodstone, are beliefs passed down through folklore and crystal practice. They are not medical or scientific claims, and no stone treats any condition. The mineral facts here, such as hardness and composition, come from gemological sources like GIA.

Common questions

Why does my month have more than one birthstone?

Several months gained alternatives over the years, often to offer a more affordable or more available stone. June, for example, lists pearl, moonstone and alexandrite.

Can I wear a stone from another month?

Of course. Birthstones are a custom, not a rule. Many people choose the stone they like best.