Why birthstones still matter
The tradition of associating specific gemstones with months of the year goes back centuries, with the modern standardised list dating to 1912 when the American Gem Society codified the assignments. Today, birthstones serve as the most accessible form of personalised gemstone jewellery a way to choose a piece that has personal meaning beyond pure aesthetic preference.
For piercing jewellery specifically, birthstones offer something useful: a guided entry into coloured gemstone wearing. Instead of facing the question 'what gemstone do I want?' with no constraints, the birthstone provides a starting framework. You can buy your birthstone piercing as a personal piece, or give birthstone piercings as meaningful gifts. The tradition does the work of making the choice feel intentional.
This guide covers all twelve birth months, the gemstones traditionally associated with each, how each works in piercing jewellery specifically, and realistic pricing for quality birthstone-set pieces.
January — Garnet
Garnet is a deep red gemstone with associations to friendship and trust. The most common garnet variety in jewellery is almandine (dark red), but garnets come in oranges, greens (tsavorite, demantoid), and pinks (rhodolite). For piercing jewellery, deep red almandine garnet is the typical January birthstone choice.
• Hardness: Mohs 6.5–7.5 — moderately durable, suits most piercing positions
• Best piercing positions: helix, conch, lobe, daith
• Care: standard gentle cleaning; avoid extreme chemicals
• Typical price in piercing jewellery: €40–90 for small garnets in implant-grade titanium
February — Amethyst
Amethyst is purple quartz, ranging from pale lavender to deep royal purple. Traditionally associated with calm, clarity, and protection. The colour comes from iron impurities in quartz crystals.
• Hardness: Mohs 7 — durable enough for piercing wear
• Best piercing positions: any position; the purple colour shows well at all sizes
• Care: standard gentle cleaning; sunlight exposure can gradually fade colour over years
• Typical price: €30–80 for small amethysts in implant-grade titanium
March — Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the pale blue-green variety of beryl (same mineral family as emerald). Colour ranges from very pale sky blue to slightly deeper sea-water blue. Traditional associations include courage and clarity.
• Hardness: Mohs 7.5–8 — excellent durability
• Best piercing positions: any position; the soft blue suits delicate placements particularly well
• Care: standard gentle cleaning; one of the easier coloured stones to care for
• Typical price: €60–140 for small aquamarines in implant-grade titanium (rarer than common birthstones)
April — Diamond
April birthdays get the most prestigious birthstone. Diamond is Mohs 10, essentially indestructible in normal wear. See the lab-grown vs natural diamonds cluster guide for the full discussion of options.
• Hardness: Mohs 10 — maximum
• Best piercing positions: any position; diamonds work everywhere
• Care: indestructible; cleaning is for residue, not for the stone itself
• Typical price: €60–250 (CZ to lab-grown to natural; see the dedicated diamond cluster)
May — Emerald
Emerald is the green variety of beryl, coloured by chromium and vanadium. Among the most coveted natural gemstones historically. Emeralds typically have characteristic inclusions ('jardin' French for garden) that are considered part of their character rather than flaws.
• Hardness: Mohs 7.5–8 — good in principle but commercial emeralds often have fissures filled with oil or resin, making them more vulnerable to chemical exposure and impact than the hardness alone suggests
• Best piercing positions: conch, helix, lobe (favoured positions with less daily friction)
• Care: more delicate than other Mohs 7.5–8 stones; avoid harsh chemicals, ultrasonic cleaning, and significant impact
• Typical price: €80–220 for small emeralds in piercing jewellery; lab-grown options at lower cost
June — Pearl, Alexandrite, or Moonstone
June is unusual three accepted birthstones. Pearls are traditional; alexandrite is the modern luxury choice; moonstone is the traditional alternate.
• Pearl: organic, Mohs 2.5–4.5 (very soft), porous, demands special care; best for occasional-wear pieces
• Alexandrite: colour-changing chrysoberyl (Mohs 8.5), green in daylight, red under incandescent light; extremely rare in natural form; lab-grown more accessible
• Moonstone: feldspar with adularescence (the 'glow'), Mohs 6–6.5, delicate but distinctive
• Typical price: pearl €30–80, alexandrite €100–400+ (lab-grown), moonstone €40–90
July — Ruby
July gets ruby corundum's red form (see the sapphire and ruby cluster guide). Ruby is Mohs 9, second only to diamond in hardness, with exceptional chemical stability. Among the best gemstones for piercing wear.
• Hardness: Mohs 9 excellent
• Best piercing positions: any position; the dramatic red colour works particularly well as a statement piece in helix or conch
• Care: minimal; ruby is essentially indestructible in normal wear
• Typical price: €60–110 for lab-grown rubies in implant-grade titanium; €180–400+ for natural
August — Peridot
Peridot is the yellow-green to olive-green variety of olivine. Distinctive 'autumn' colour. One of the only gemstones found exclusively in one colour.
• Hardness: Mohs 6.5–7 moderate, suitable for most piercing positions
• Best piercing positions: helix, conch, lobe (less daily friction)
• Care: avoid extreme heat changes, harsh chemicals
• Typical price: €40–90 for small peridots in implant-grade titanium
September — Sapphire
September gets the classic blue sapphire (see the sapphire and ruby cluster guide). Same Mohs 9 corundum durability as ruby. One of the easiest-to-recommend birthstones for piercing jewellery.
• Hardness: Mohs 9 excellent
• Best piercing positions: any position; classic blue suits both gold and silver-tone metals
• Care: minimal
• Typical price: €50–90 for lab-grown blue sapphires; €120–400+ for natural
October — Opal or Tourmaline
October has two birthstones: opal (traditional) and tourmaline (modern). Opal is delicate but distinctive; tourmaline comes in essentially every colour and is significantly more durable.
• Opal: see the dedicated Opal Piercing Jewellery guide. Mohs 5.5–6.5, porous, demands special care. Distinctive play of colour.
• Tourmaline: Mohs 7–7.5, comes in pink, green, blue (Paraíba), red (rubellite), watermelon (multi-coloured). Much more durable than opal.
• Typical price: opal €50–200, tourmaline €60–180
November — Citrine or Topaz
November has two: citrine (yellow quartz) and topaz (yellow, blue, or pink). Citrine is the more common modern birthstone; topaz the traditional alternate.
• Citrine: Mohs 7 (quartz), pale yellow to deep amber colours, very durable
• Topaz: Mohs 8, comes in yellow, blue, pink, colourless, and rare imperial topaz (pink-orange)
• Best piercing positions: any position; both stones are durable enough for daily wear
• Typical price: citrine €30–70, topaz €40–100
December — Tanzanite, Zircon, or Turquoise
December has three accepted birthstones.
• Tanzanite: blue-violet zoisite (Mohs 6.5), discovered in 1967 in Tanzania, exclusive to that origin. Striking colour but more delicate than other blue stones
• Zircon: not the same as cubic zirconia. Natural zircon (Mohs 7.5) is a distinct gemstone with high refractive index and brilliance
• Turquoise: Mohs 5–6 (soft and porous), distinctive blue-green, demands gentle care; less commonly used in modern piercing jewellery
• Typical price: tanzanite €80–250, zircon €40–100, turquoise €30–80
Birthstone piercings as gifts
How to choose a birthstone piercing piece as a gift
Three considerations: the recipient must have existing piercings in positions that suit a gemstone piece (don't gift a clicker if they don't have a helix); choose a position you've seen them wear actively (a piece sitting unworn in storage isn't a great gift); and the metal should match what they already wear (gold-only wearers should get gold-set birthstone pieces, not silver, regardless of the stone). Budget €60–150 for quality birthstone pieces in implant-grade titanium with gold mounting; €150–300+ for solid gold settings; well over that for premium natural stones.
Shop the look
• Labrets
• Hoops and clickers with stones
Internal links
• Advanced gemstones in piercing jewellery: complete guide
• Sapphire and ruby in piercing jewellery
• Opal piercing jewellery: complete guide
• Memorial and milestone piercings
Frequently Asked Questions
What's my birthstone?
January: garnet. February: amethyst. March: aquamarine. April: diamond. May: emerald. June: pearl, alexandrite, or moonstone. July: ruby. August: peridot. September: sapphire. October: opal or tourmaline. November: citrine or topaz. December: tanzanite, zircon, or turquoise. The list is the modern standardised version codified in 1912. Some months have multiple accepted birthstones reflecting historical variations.
Are birthstone piercings a good gift?
They can be excellent if you know the recipient's piercings well. The piece needs to fit a position they actively wear, in metal they already use, in a style they like. Birthstone gemstones add meaning beyond pure aesthetics — the piece becomes personal to the recipient's identity. Budget €60–150 for quality implant-grade titanium pieces with smaller birthstones; €150–300+ for solid gold or larger stones. Avoid gifting birthstone pieces for positions the recipient doesn't have or doesn't wear consistently.
What's the most durable birthstone for piercing jewellery?
Diamond (April) at Mohs 10, ruby (July) and sapphire (September) at Mohs 9. These three corundum and carbon stones are the most durable common birthstones — essentially indestructible in normal piercing wear. Most other birthstones (Mohs 7–8) are still durable enough for daily wear but require slightly more care. Pearl (June, Mohs 2.5–4.5) and opal (October, Mohs 5.5–6.5) are the most delicate birthstones and need specific care.
What if I don't like my birthstone?
You're not obligated to wear it. Birthstones are a tradition, not a requirement. Many people prefer gemstones with personal significance beyond birth month a stone in a favourite colour, a stone with cultural meaning, a stone associated with a meaningful event. Your piercing jewellery should reflect what you actually want, not just calendar tradition. Some birth months have multiple accepted birthstones precisely to give wearers choice.
Can I get a birthstone piercing for someone else's birth month?
Yes, birthstones aren't restricted to your own birth month. People wear partner's birthstones, parents' birthstones, children's birthstones as memorial or commemorative pieces. A piercing set with your child's birthstone can mark their birth year. A piece with a deceased loved one's birthstone can serve as a memorial piece (see the memorial piercings cluster guide). The personal significance the wearer assigns matters more than calendar matching.
Is amethyst real and valuable?
Yes, amethyst is real natural quartz coloured purple by iron impurities. It's the February birthstone with historical associations to clarity and protection. Modern amethyst is widely available because significant deposits were discovered in Brazil in the 19th century, making it more affordable than historically, but it's still a genuine gemstone. Quality amethyst with deep purple colour costs €30–80 in piercing jewellery, more for premium grades. Lab-grown amethyst exists but most jewellery amethyst is natural.
Why do some birth months have multiple birthstones?
Three reasons. First, historical variations: different jewellery industry organisations in different countries have made different birthstone assignments. Second, modern updates: the original 1912 list has been updated periodically as new gemstones became available (tanzanite was added to December after its 1967 discovery). Third, accessibility: some original birthstones were prohibitively expensive (alexandrite for June), so alternatives were added. June (pearl/alexandrite/moonstone), October (opal/tourmaline), November (citrine/topaz), and December (tanzanite/zircon/turquoise) all have multiple accepted options today.