Alternative Birthstones by Month + their Crystal Meanings

 

Have you ever put on your birthstone jewelry and wondered if there were other birthstone options? Then keep reading because today I'm sharing an alternative birthstone guide with their gemstone meanings. I'll walk you through alternative birthstones by month, why you’d benefit from them, plus the healing crystals meanings they share with modern birthstones - that will further your knowledge on your crystal journey.

What are alternative birthstones?

They are gemstones unofficially assigned to birth months or times, that have similar characteristics and metaphysical properties as modern birthstones. They are a great option to work with in substitution of or together with well-known birthstones.

If you're new to birthstones, here is the modern list. For more about modern birthstones, see this blog post.

• January - Garnet
• February - Amethyst
• March - Aquamarine, Bloodstone
• April - Diamond
• May - Emerald
• June - Moonstone, Pearl, Alexandrite
• July - Ruby
• August - Peridot, Spinel, Sardonyx
• September - Sapphire
• October - Opal, Tourmaline
• November - Citrine, Topaz
• December - Turquoise, Zircon, Tanzanite

And here is a brief list of alternative birthstones (scroll to the bottom of this post for their healing properties):

• January - ruby, pink tourmaline, red jasper
• February - tanzanite, pink sapphire, iolite
• March - blue topaz, sapphire, apatite
• April - zircon, herkimer diamond, clear quartz
• May - green turquoise, peridot, green garnet
• June - white topaz, herkimer diamond, agate
• July - carnelian, garnet, fire agate
• August - emerald, green tourmaline, green turquoise 
• September - turquoise, apatite, lapis lazuli 
• October - kunzite, rose quartz, moonstone 
• November - tigers eye, yellow opal, sunstone
• December - sapphire, abalone, labradorite

Why would I need alternative birthstones?

Many independent jewelers work with alternative birthstones, to offer a more affordable option and to please different preferences. In some cases, some people simply don't like their birthstone and look for other options. In other cases, people prefer birthstones assigned to their zodiac sign.

Some gemstone and crystal experts that have suggested alternative birthstones make their suggestions based on, not just zodiac signs, but also other historical or cultural context. For example, there are crystals assigned to the days of the week. In The Complete Guide to Crystal Astrology by Marina Costelloe, she explains “Monday is Pearl; Tuesday is Garnet; Wednesday is Cat’s Eye; Thursday is Emerald; Friday is Topaz; Saturday is Sapphire; and Sunday is Ruby.” Therefore depending on what weekday you were born, there is a birthstone for that. Another example is having a birthstone based on the Chinese zodiac. According to the year you were born, you'd have a birthstone assigned to that year. There are many different crystals across many different cultures throughout history that have assigned birthstones to months, times, and themes.

Who thought of alternative birthstones?

Birthstones, in most of the western world, go back to the days of the bible, and historically, birthstones are found in all cultures of the world. Our ancestors generally used the zodiac signs’ and colors’ properties to determine birthstones, among other things. There are a vast number of crystals that share many of the zodiac signs’ properties. No well-known list is associated with an official ‘alternative birthstones’ list, unlike the modern birthstone list, which is widely used in the jewelry industry.

Alternative birthstones by month:

I've made a brief list of alternative birthstones determined by crystals with similar meanings and colors. I've included some healing properties each share with modern birthstones:

January birthstones 

• Ruby promotes love, wisdom, and protection
• Pink Tourmaline promotes calming, friendship, and harmony
• Red jasper promotes compassion, luck, and well-being

February birthstones

• Tanzanite promotes guidance, manifestation, and psychic awareness.
• Pink Sapphire promotes calming, love, and peace
• Iolite promotes intuition, strength, and spirituality

March birthstones 

• Blue topaz promotes calming, clarity, and purification 
• Sapphire promotes courage, wisdom, and healing
• Apatite promotes peace, renewal, and psychic awareness.

April birthstones 

• Zircon promotes love, positivity, and protection 
• Herkimer diamond promotes spirituality, courage, and beauty
• Clear quartz promotes clarity, healing, and strength

May birthstones

• Green turquoise promotes friendship, protection, and luck
• Peridot promotes prosperity, renewal, and healing
• Green garnet promotes love, balance, and wisdom 

June birthstones 

• White topaz promotes wisdom, divination, protection 
• Herkimer diamond promotes awareness, energy, happiness 
• Agate promotes calming, connectedness, and prosperity 

July birthstones 

• Carnelian promotes courage, gratitude, and creativity
• Garnet promotes loyalty, protection, and love
• Fire agate promotes sexual energy, vitality, and prosperity

August birthstones

• Emerald promotes love, growth, and success 
• Green tourmaline promotes abundance, rebirth, and emotional healing
• Green turquoise promotes balance, protection, and change

September birthstones

• Turquoise promotes courage, strength, and wisdom
• Apatite promotes communication, new beginnings, and peace
• Lapis lazuli promotes intuition, spiritual growth, and insight

October birthstones

• Kunzite promotes growth, new beginnings, and beauty 
• Rose quartz promotes love, harmony, and confidence 
• Moonstone promotes emotional healing, creativity, and friendship

November birthstones

• Tigers eye promotes abundance, confidence, and balance
• Yellow opal promotes creativity, prosperity, and renewal
• Sunstone promotes luck, optimism, and protection

December birthstones

• Sapphire promotes wisdom, luck, and spirituality
• Abalone promotes prosperity, protection, and emotional healing 
• Labradorite promotes intuition, clarity, and confidence

Interested in more crystals meanings?

If you loved learning about these alternative birthstones by month properties, then you’ll love this free crystal guide. It includes popular crystals and gemstones meanings, affirmations, how to use them in your everyday life, and printable cards. Click here to get yours!