Match the stone to the piece
- Great for everyday rings: Diamond, Alexandrite, Ruby and Sapphire. Hard and tough. Fine for rings worn every day.
- Good for everyday wear: Garnet, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Spinel and Citrine. Durable for most jewelry, including rings, with a little care.
- Wear with care: Emerald, Peridot, Sardonyx, Tourmaline, Topaz, Tanzanite and Zircon. Can chip, crack or scratch. Protective settings, pendants and earrings are safer than everyday rings.
- Delicate: Pearl, Moonstone, Opal and Turquoise. Soft or easily damaged. Best for pendants, earrings and occasional wear.
These groups follow GIA's hardness and toughness notes for each gem. Check the stone's own page for details.
Ask about treatments
Many gems are routinely treated: most emeralds are fracture filled, most tanzanite and much citrine is heat treated, and blue topaz is often irradiated. Treatments are normal, but they change how a stone should be cleaned. Ask the seller what was done and get it in writing.
When a month has more than one stone
June, August and December each have three birthstones, and March, October and November have two. If the main stone is fragile or expensive, the alternative can be a better choice: alexandrite (8.5) is much harder than pearl (2.5), and spinel (8) is harder than peridot (6.5 to 7).
Use the tools
Try our birthstone finder, compare stones on the Mohs hardness chart, or see the everyday wear checker.
