Zodiac Birthstones by Sign vs Monthly Birthstones

Zodiac birthstones follow a different system from calendar birthstones. Monthly birthstones align with the month you were born, a list standardized in 1912. Zodiac birthstones follow your astrological sign's date range, which almost always spans two calendar months. Sometimes the two agree: a January Capricorn claims garnet under both systems. Sometimes they do not: a late-January Aquarius has amethyst as a zodiac stone while garnet remains the monthly birthstone. This guide lays out both systems side by side, gives every sign its stone and meaning, and explains how to choose.

Looking for the monthly chart first? Start with what is my birthstone, then come back for your sign.

Two Different Systems

One follows the calendar, the other follows the stars.

The monthly birthstone list is the standardized one. It was fixed in 1912 by the American National Retail Jewelers' Association, meeting in Kansas City, and refined three times since, most recently in 2016 when spinel joined August. It is the list you will find at the GIA and in most jewelers' charts, and it assigns one or more stones to each calendar month.

Zodiac birthstones are older and less tidy. The idea grew out of the twelve gems on the biblical breastplate of Aaron being linked to the twelve signs of the zodiac, and later to the twelve months. Because each sign runs from roughly the third week of one month to the third week of the next, a zodiac stone can never map neatly onto a single calendar month. Different traditions also disagree on which stone belongs to which sign, so the chart below uses the most common modern pairing, in which each sign takes the birthstone of the month it mostly falls in.

Zodiac Birthstones vs Monthly Birthstones Chart

Every sign, its stone, and the monthly birthstones for the same dates.

Every Zodiac Sign's Birthstone

Dates, stone, monthly overlap, and meaning.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19): Garnet

Capricorn's stone is garnet, the deep red gem of protection, loyalty, and perseverance, a fitting match for the zodiac's most disciplined sign. Capricorns born in January share garnet as both zodiac and monthly stone; December-born Capricorns can add turquoise, tanzanite, or zircon. Explore January birthstone jewelry and our garnet meaning guide.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18): Amethyst

Aquarius takes amethyst, the purple quartz the ancient Greeks believed kept the mind clear. Its meanings of clarity, calm, and independence suit the zodiac's original thinker. February Aquarians match on both systems; January-born Aquarians have garnet as their monthly stone and amethyst as their sign's. Explore February birthstone jewelry and amethyst jewelry.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20): Aquamarine

The water sign gets the water stone. Aquamarine, named for the sea, stands for serenity, intuition, and safe passage, and sailors once carried it as a talisman. March-born Pisces match on both systems; February-born Pisces pair aquamarine with amethyst. Explore March birthstone jewelry and our March birthstone rings guide.

Aries (March 21 – April 19): Diamond

Aries, the zodiac's first and boldest sign, claims diamond, the hardest natural substance and a symbol of strength, courage, and invincibility. April-born Aries match on both systems; March-born Aries can choose between diamond and aquamarine. Explore April birthstone jewelry and our April birthstone guide.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Emerald

Earthy, steady Taurus is paired with emerald, the green beryl the Romans dedicated to Venus, with meanings of growth, love, and abundance. May-born Taureans match on both systems; April-born Taureans have diamond as their monthly stone. Explore May birthstone jewelry and our May birthstone guide.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20): Pearl

Gemini's stone is pearl, the organic gem of purity, balance, and adaptability, a natural fit for the zodiac's quick-changing twins. June-born Geminis match on both systems and can also choose June's moonstone or alexandrite; May-born Geminis have emerald as their monthly stone. Explore June birthstone jewelry and our pearl meaning guide.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Ruby

Cancer, the zodiac's most protective sign, takes ruby, the red corundum of passion, protection, and emotional strength. July-born Cancers match on both systems; June-born Cancers pair ruby with pearl, moonstone, or alexandrite. Explore July birthstone jewelry and our July birthstone guide.

Leo (July 23 – August 22): Peridot

The sun-ruled sign gets the "gem of the sun." Peridot, golden green and found even in meteorites, stands for light, confidence, and warmth. August-born Leos match on both systems and can also choose spinel; July-born Leos have ruby as their monthly stone. Explore August birthstone jewelry and our peridot meaning guide.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22): Sapphire

Analytical Virgo is matched with sapphire, the stone of wisdom, clarity, and sincerity that has crowned royalty for centuries. September-born Virgos match on both systems; August-born Virgos have peridot or spinel as their monthly stone. Explore September birthstone jewelry and our sapphire meaning guide.

Libra (September 23 – October 22): Opal

Libra, the sign of balance and beauty, takes opal, whose shifting play of color stands for harmony, creativity, and hope. October-born Libras match on both systems and can also choose tourmaline; September-born Libras have sapphire as their monthly stone. Explore October birthstone jewelry and our October birthstone guide.

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21): Tanzanite

Intense, transformative Scorpio is paired on our chart with tanzanite, the violet-blue stone found only in Tanzania and linked to transformation, depth, and intuition; some other lists give Scorpio topaz instead. Scorpio's dates span two monthly birthstones, opal and tourmaline for October and topaz and citrine for November, so Scorpios have the widest choice of any sign. Explore tanzanite jewelry, November birthstone jewelry, and our tanzanite meaning guide.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): Turquoise

The zodiac's traveler gets the traveler's stone. Turquoise, worn for over 5,000 years, stands for protection on journeys, optimism, and good fortune. December-born Sagittarians match on both systems and can also choose tanzanite or zircon; November-born Sagittarians have topaz or citrine as their monthly stone. Explore December birthstone jewelry and our December birthstones guide.

Find your stone

Birthstone Jewelry

Rings, pendants, and gifts in every month's stone, handcrafted and made to order in sterling silver, vermeil, or solid gold.

Browse Birthstone Jewelry

Where the Two Systems Overlap

Why your sign's stone may or may not be your birthstone.

Every zodiac sign begins in the last third of one month and ends in the first two-thirds of the next, and the common modern pairing gives each sign the birthstone of the month it mostly falls in. That produces a simple rule: if you were born in the later of your sign's two months, your zodiac stone and your monthly birthstone are the same. If you were born in the earlier month, they differ, and you effectively have two stones to choose from.

• Same stone under both systems: a January Capricorn (garnet), a February Aquarius (amethyst), a March Pisces (aquamarine), an April Aries (diamond), a May Taurus (emerald), a June Gemini (pearl), a July Cancer (ruby), an August Leo (peridot), a September Virgo (sapphire), an October Libra (opal), and a December Sagittarius (turquoise).
• Two stones to choose from: anyone born in the earlier month of their sign, such as a December Capricorn (garnet by sign, turquoise or tanzanite by month) or a January Aquarius (amethyst by sign, garnet by month).
• Scorpio is the exception: tanzanite is not a monthly birthstone for either October or November, so every Scorpio has a zodiac stone that differs from the monthly chart.

Other Birthstone Traditions

Not every culture uses months or Western signs.

Zodiac birthstones are less standardized than the monthly list, and the pairings vary by tradition and country. Hindu tradition offers a different framework altogether: the Navaratna, nine gemstones associated with celestial bodies in Vedic astrology rather than with birth months or Western zodiac signs. Ruby, pearl, red coral, emerald, yellow sapphire, diamond, blue sapphire, hessonite garnet, and cat's-eye chrysoberyl are worn together, often in a single piece, for balance and protection. Older Western lists, including those recorded in Poland between the 16th and 18th centuries, gave some months different stones from the modern chart; the American Gem Society's birthstone overview traces how the modern list settled.

Which Stone Should You Wear?

Birth month, star sign, or both.

1. Go by the monthly chart if you want the standard answer. It is the list jewelers, gift guides, and the GIA use, and it is what most people mean by "my birthstone."
2. Go by your sign if astrology is part of your identity. A zodiac stone carries the personality traits and symbolism of the sign, which many people find more personal than a calendar month.
3. Wear both. A two-stone ring or pendant that sets your zodiac stone beside your monthly birthstone, or two stacked rings, honors both systems. Our toi et moi ring guide covers the two-stone setting that suits this best.
4. Check durability before choosing a ring stone. Diamond, sapphire, ruby, garnet, amethyst, and aquamarine handle daily wear easily; pearl, opal, turquoise, and tanzanite are best in pendants, earrings, or protective ring settings.
5. Choose what you love. There is no rule that you must wear either stone. A partner's sign, a child's birth month, or simply the color you are drawn to is an equally good reason.

Shop Your Stone

Every zodiac and monthly birthstone, in one place.

• Garnet (Capricorn, January): garnet jewelry
• Amethyst (Aquarius, February): amethyst jewelry
• Aquamarine (Pisces, March): aquamarine jewelry
• Diamond (Aries, April): diamond jewelry
• Emerald (Taurus, May): emerald jewelry
• Pearl, moonstone, and alexandrite (Gemini, June): June birthstone jewelry and alexandrite jewelry
• Ruby (Cancer, July): ruby jewelry
• Peridot (Leo, August): peridot jewelry
• Sapphire (Virgo, September): sapphire jewelry
• Opal (Libra, October): opal jewelry
• Tanzanite, topaz, and citrine (Scorpio, October–November): tanzanite jewelry, topaz jewelry, and citrine jewelry
• Turquoise (Sagittarius, December): turquoise jewelry and December birthstone jewelry

Keep reading: our guides to what is my birthstone, the history of gemstones, and blue gemstones cover the next questions most readers have.

Zodiac Birthstones FAQ