Birthstone Colors and Months

Your birthstone month and color is that of the month that you were born in. Most birthstones by definition are gems, however, all of them are minerals. Some of the most popular birthstones include diamonds, ruby, and pearl. The United States has created an official birthstone list for each month of the year. It consists of 12 different minerals, each with varying colors. Since the beginning of time, humans have associated different gems and stones with symbolic events. These events can include anything from anniversaries, birthdays to biblical times and astrology. Throughout history the use of stones is evident. In Exodus the bible talks about 12 different stones; most of which are used in our modern day birthstone chart.

Birthstones have a variety of different uses besides symbolizing the month you were born. Some of the more practical things are industrial equipment such as saws, grinders, cutting tools, and even replacing silica sand which is used in traditional sand blasting. Many precious gemstones such as diamonds are being used as drill bits and saw blades. This is because diamonds are the hardest material in the world and are virtually indestructible. The Garnet which is known for its abrasiveness is being ground up and used in sand blasting, as well as cutting through steal objects when mixed with high speed and water.

Look at a wonderful collection of engagement rings with a variety of birthstones as a main feature of their design.


Since birthstones are natural from the earth and form in vastly different environments, the same gem can be the same color as another gem of a different month. This allows people who aren't happy with their traditional birthstone color to switch to a different color but still keeping their original birthstone. This is commonly done with gems that switch to blue or baby blue from a different color.