A birthstone is a gemstone or other semi-precious stone which is associated with a month of the Gregorian Calendar. There is no particular connection between the stones and the months, but they are often used as a way to "personalize" jewelry, taking the stone for the month in which a person was born. A gemstone is a mineral, rock (as in lapis lazuli) or petrified material that when cut or faceted and polished is collectible or can be used in jewellery. ... In Egyptian mythology, Month is an alternate spelling for Menthu. ... The Gregorian calendar is the calendar widely used in the Western world. ... Jewelry (the American spelling; spelled jewellery in Commonwealth English) consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. ...

There have been many different sets of birthstones used throughout history and in different cultures, but in 1912 the American National Association of Jewelers, Jewelers of America, officially adopted the following list; it is currently the most widely used list in the United States and many other places. 1912 is a leap year starting on Monday. ...

• January - Garnet
• February - Amethyst
• March - Aquamarine
• April - Diamond
• May - Emerald
• June - Pearl
• July - Ruby
• August - Peridot
• September - Sapphire
• October - Opal
• November - Topaz
• December - Turquoise

Other sources list multiple birthstones for some of the months: January is the first month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... The Garnet group of minerals show crystals with a habit of rhombic dodecahedrons and trapezohedrons. ... February is the second month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Amethyst is a violet or purple variety of quartz often used as an ornament. ... March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Aquamarine is gemstone-quality blue beryl, closely related to the emerald. ... April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... A scattering of round-brilliant cut diamonds shows off the many reflecting facets. ... This article is about the month of May. ... For other things of this name, see Emerald (disambiguation). ... June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... For other things called pearl, see pearl (disambiguation). ... July is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Ruby is a red gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum (aluminium oxide) in which the color is caused mainly by chromium. ... Note: as an adjective (stressed on the second syllable instead of the first), august means honorable. ... Peridot from the San Carlos Apache reservation in Arizona. ... September is the ninth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with 30 days. ... Sapphire is the single-crystal form of aluminium oxide (Al2O3), a mineral known as corundum. ... October is the tenth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... OPAL is also the name of one of the four detectors of the Large Electron-Positron Collider. ... For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... This article is about the mineral or gemstone, for other uses see: Topaz (disambiguation). ... December is the twelfth and last month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Turquoise (or turquois) is opaque, blue-to-green hydrated copper aluminium phosphate mineral according to the chemical formula CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·5H2O. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been enjoyed as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique...

• March - Bloodstone
• June - Moonstone and Alexandrite
• August - Sardonyx and Sapphire
• October - Tourmaline
• December - Zircon, Blue topaz and Lapis lazuli

Chalcedony Knife, AD 1000-1200 Chalcedony is one of the cryptocrystalline varieties of the mineral quartz, having a waxy luster. ... A Moonstone is a type of gemstone (see orthoclase). ... This article or section should be merged with chrysoberyl Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl. ... Chalcedony Knife, AD 1000-1200 Chalcedony is one of the cryptocrystalline varieties of the mineral quartz, having a waxy luster. ... Sapphire is the single-crystal form of aluminium oxide (Al2O3), a mineral known as corundum. ... The mineral tourmaline is chemically one of the most complicated silicate minerals. ... Zircon dust Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. ... This article is about the mineral or gemstone, for other uses see: Topaz (disambiguation). ... A block of lapis lazuli Lapis lazuli is one of the oldest of all gems, with a history of use stretching back 7,000 years. ...

External links

• Hrih, Birthstones
• Modern, Traditional, and Mystical Birthstones