Birthday stones — modern birthstone chart & traditions
Track: Gemology · Duration: 28 min
Video lesson
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Course reader
Birthday stones — modern birthstone chart & traditions
Gemology workbook — ID, cutting, evaluation, setting, and birthstones next to the video.
Birthstones are cultural and commercial lists — they vary by country, jeweler association, and era. Use the chart below as a modern retail reference; always verify a seller’s stated list.
Traditional vs modern: older lists (e.g. biblical / Tudor) differ from today’s US/Jewelers of America style charts. UK and US lists are not identical.
Modern month chart (reference)
| Month | Modern (common US retail) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | Many species/colors (pyrope, rhodolite, etc.) |
| February | Amethyst | Quartz; heat can lighten color |
| March | Aquamarine | Beryl family; often heat-treated |
| April | Diamond | Natural or lab-grown — disclose |
| May | Emerald | Often oiled; fragile — avoid ultrasonic |
| June | Pearl, Alexandrite, Moonstone | Retail often uses pearl or moonstone; alexandrite is rare |
| July | Ruby | Corundum; heat treatment common |
| August | Peridot, Spinel | Spinel added in modern lists (AGL/GIA-era updates) |
| September | Sapphire | All colors of corundum — not only blue |
| October | Opal, Tourmaline | Opal is delicate (no harsh ultrasonic) |
| November | Citrine, Topaz | Much “citrine” is heat-treated amethyst |
| December | Turquoise, Zircon, Tanzanite | Lists vary — blue zircon vs synthetic simulants: verify |
Care reminders
- Soft or porous gems (pearl, opal, turquoise) — avoid harsh ultrasonic and chemicals.
- Always ask about treatments before repair or repolish.
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Lesson quiz
Each attempt uses a random set of questions with shuffled answer choices. Pass at 70% or higher to mark the lesson complete.