Stones
Birthstones by Month
The complete chart, plus the part nobody prints: which of these stones can actually survive being worn every day.
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The short answer
The full chart is below. The part usually left out: birthstone hardness varies enormously. Sapphire and ruby are Mohs 9 and survive anything; opal and pearl are under 6 and should not be in a daily ring.
What to buy
| # | Pick | Material | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  ChicSilver 925 Sterling Silver Square Birthstone Stud Earrings Sterling settings with the stone honestly described as created Top pick | 925 sterling silver studs with a princess-cut created birthstone. Created, not mined - stated by the listing, which is the right way to do it.Best birthstone earrings | 8.0/10 | $21.59 - View on Amazon $26.99 20% off |
| 2 |  Ouslier 925 Sterling Silver Personalized Name Necklace with Birthstone Sterling personalized pendant - real metal under the personalization | 925 sterling silver custom name pendant with a birthstone. The birthstone on personalized jewelry at this price is a synthetic or created stone, not a mined gem - that is standard, and it is what makes the price possible.Best personalized | 7.4/10 | |
| 3 |  Custom4U Personalized Mothers Ring, 3 Birthstones A multi-stone format that means something, with an honest note on the unnamed band metal | Personalized multi-birthstone ring. The listing does not clearly name the band metal, and the birthstones are created stones.Best multi-stone | 6.0/10 | |
| 4 |  Jewelili Sterling Silver Created White Sapphire Halo Ring September's stone, and one of the few birthstones hard enough for a daily ring | Lab-created white sapphire in 925 sterling silver. Created sapphire is chemically identical to mined sapphire - corundum - and is not a simulant.Most durable birthstone | 8.3/10 | $12.59 - View on Amazon $13.99 10% off |
The chart
| Month | Stone | Mohs | Daily ring? |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | 6.5-7.5 | With care |
| February | Amethyst | 7 | With care - and keep it out of sunlight |
| March | Aquamarine | 7.5-8 | Yes |
| April | Diamond | 10 | Yes |
| May | Emerald | 7.5-8 | No - heavily included and brittle |
| June | Pearl / Alexandrite | 2.5-4.5 / 8.5 | Pearl: no. Alexandrite: yes |
| July | Ruby | 9 | Yes |
| August | Peridot | 6.5-7 | No - too soft for a hand |
| September | Sapphire | 9 | Yes |
| October | Opal / Tourmaline | 5.5-6.5 / 7-7.5 | Opal: no. Tourmaline: with care |
| November | Topaz / Citrine | 8 / 7 | Topaz yes, citrine with care |
| December | Turquoise / Tanzanite / Zircon | 5-7.5 | No - all are soft or brittle |
The part that matters
Look down the hardness column. Four months - April, July, September, and June if you take alexandrite - give you a stone that will survive a lifetime on a hand. The rest range from “handle with care” to “this will not survive a year of daily wear”.
Nobody tells you this when you buy a birthstone ring, and it is the single most useful thing on this page. An October opal ring given to someone who wears rings every day is a gift with a short and disappointing life, through no fault of the giver.
The soft ones, specifically
- Pearl (June) at Mohs 2.5-4.5 is organic, porous and damaged by perfume, hairspray and sweat. Beautiful in earrings and a pendant; poor in a ring.
- Opal (October) at 5.5-6.5 contains water and can craze - develop fine internal cracks - if it dries out or is knocked. Never in an ultrasonic cleaner.
- Turquoise (December) at 5-6 is porous and absorbs oils and lotions, which discolours it permanently.
- Emerald (May) is Mohs 7.5-8, which sounds fine, but emeralds are almost always heavily included and often oil-treated. They chip. This is the stone whose hardness number most misleads.
- Peridot (August) at 6.5-7 is right at the quartz line, so everyday dust will scratch it.
Buying a birthstone piece well
- Check the hardness first, then choose the piece type. A soft stone belongs in earrings or a pendant, not a ring.
- Expect “created” at affordable prices, and prefer listings that say so. Created ruby and sapphire are chemically identical to mined and considerably harder-wearing than a low-grade natural stone.
- Check the setting metal is named. Sterling or gold; not “alloy”.
- Match the cleaning method to the stone. Never put opal, pearl, turquoise or emerald in a dip or an ultrasonic cleaner.
A note on the lists themselves
Birthstone lists are conventions, not standards, and they have changed over time - which is why several months have two accepted stones. There is no single authority, so if you prefer the alternate stone for a month, that is not a mistake.
Every pick in detail
What each one is actually made of, how long it realistically lasts in that material, who it is for and who should skip it.
1 · Best birthstone earrings
ChicSilver 925 Sterling Silver Square Birthstone Stud Earrings
Birthstone studs where the metal is real and the stone is honestly described as created. The durability depends entirely on which month you order.
- What it is
- 925 sterling silver studs with a princess-cut created birthstone. Created, not mined - stated by the listing, which is the right way to do it.
- Realistic lifespan
- Sterling settings are indefinite. Created corundum birthstones (sapphire, ruby) are Mohs 9 and very durable; created softer stones (opal, emerald) are not, so the month matters.
- 925 sterling
- created stone
- princess cut
What works
- Sterling settings, clearly stated
- The listing says 'created' rather than implying a mined gem
What does not
- Stone hardness varies enormously by month - October opal is fragile, September sapphire is not
- Square princess cuts have sharp corners that chip more readily than round cuts
Skip it if: the birth month is opal or pearl and the earrings are for daily wear. Those two are the soft ones, and daily wear finds it out.
Best for a birthday gift with a real-metal setting. Score 8.0/10 from published specifications.
2 · Best personalized
Ouslier 925 Sterling Silver Personalized Name Necklace with Birthstone
Real sterling and a genuine personalization. Choose a block or rounded font over fine script - the font choice decides whether it survives.
- What it is
- 925 sterling silver custom name pendant with a birthstone. The birthstone on personalized jewelry at this price is a synthetic or created stone, not a mined gem - that is standard, and it is what makes the price possible.
- Realistic lifespan
- Sterling is indefinite with polishing. The custom cut-out lettering is the fragile part: thin script letters bend, and thin script cannot be repaired invisibly.
- 925 sterling
- custom name
- created birthstone
What works
- Sterling rather than plated brass, which is unusual in personalized jewelry
- Personalization is the whole gift, and this does it properly
What does not
- Fine script cut-outs bend easily - a real durability issue, not a preference
- Custom pieces are usually non-returnable; check before ordering
Skip it if: you are ordering a long name in a thin script for a child. It will bend, and it cannot be sent back.
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Best for a personalized gift where you want a real metal underneath. Score 7.4/10 from published specifications.
3 · Best multi-stone
Custom4U Personalized Mothers Ring, 3 Birthstones
A thoughtful gift format let down by an unnamed metal. If the recipient wears it daily, the band is the thing you needed to know about.
- What it is
- Personalized multi-birthstone ring. The listing does not clearly name the band metal, and the birthstones are created stones.
- Realistic lifespan
- Not publishable without a stated band metal. Rings take the hardest wear of any jewelry, so an unnamed metal is a real gap here.
- 3 stones
- custom
- band metal not stated
What works
- Three birthstones in one ring is a genuinely meaningful format
- Custom engraving options included at the price
What does not
- Band metal not named - the most important spec on any ring
- Multi-stone settings have more prongs to catch and lose
Skip it if: she wears rings daily and has ever reacted to costume metal. Buy a sterling piece where the metal is stated.
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Best for a sentimental gift worn occasionally rather than every day. Score 6.0/10 from published specifications.
4 · Most durable birthstone
Jewelili Sterling Silver Created White Sapphire Halo Ring
The overlooked middle option: a genuinely hard stone at CZ money. It sparkles less than CZ on day one and far more than CZ on year five.
- What it is
- Lab-created white sapphire in 925 sterling silver. Created sapphire is chemically identical to mined sapphire - corundum - and is not a simulant.
- Realistic lifespan
- Sapphire is Mohs 9, harder than CZ and just below moissanite. It resists scratching well but has lower brilliance, so it reads softer and greyer than a diamond rather than cloudy.
- Mohs 9
- created sapphire
- 925 sterling
What works
- Real corundum, chemically identical to mined sapphire
- Mohs 9 means it stays clean-surfaced far longer than CZ
- Under $13, which is remarkable for a stone this hard
What does not
- Lower refractive index than CZ or moissanite - noticeably less fire
- White sapphire can read slightly gray next to a diamond
Skip it if: you want maximum sparkle. Sapphire is the durable, understated option; moissanite is the bright one.
Best for someone who prefers a soft, glassy look to a hard glitter. Score 8.3/10 from published specifications.
Common questions
What is the hardest birthstone?
April’s diamond at Mohs 10. July’s ruby and September’s sapphire are both Mohs 9 - both corundum - and are the most durable colored birthstones.
Why do some months have two birthstones?
Birthstone lists are conventions rather than standards and have been revised over time, with stones added for availability and commercial reasons. Both stones for a given month are equally legitimate.
Are created birthstones real?
Created stones are chemically identical to their mined counterparts. The FTC guides require the created origin to be disclosed. A created ruby is a real ruby, grown rather than mined - and often more durable than a cheap included natural one.
Can I put a birthstone ring in a jewelry cleaner?
It depends entirely on the stone. Diamond, ruby and sapphire are fine. Opal, pearl, turquoise and emerald must never go in a dip or an ultrasonic - all four can be damaged permanently.
Sources
Every specification and figure on this page traces to one of these. Where a source does not publish a number, the page says so rather than estimating one.
- 16 CFR 23.25 - Misuse of 'ruby', 'sapphire', 'birthstone', 'gem', etc. — Governs how created and imitation stones must be described, including birthstones.
- GIA Gem Encyclopedia and gemological education — Reference source for gemstone hardness, species and treatment terminology.
- 16 CFR Part 23 - Guides for the Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Pewter Industries — The full FTC Jewelry Guides, which govern every material claim quoted on this site.
Read next
- Birthstone jewelry for mom
Stone to gift - the picks that follow from this chart.
- Anniversary gifts by year
The other reference chart, with the same hardness caveats.
- Best jewelry cleaners
And which stones must never go near them.
- Pearls explained
June's softest option, in detail.