January

Faithful, constant, true to one,—
Claims the gleaming garnet as her own.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

No gems save garnets should be worn
By her who in this month is born;
They will insure her constancy,
True friendship and fidelity.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

The gleaming garnet holds within its sway
Faith, constancy and truth to one alway.
(Tiffany & Co., 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: garnet
Traditional, 1800-1900: garnet

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: garnet
Roman: garnet
Spanish: hyacinth (zircon)
Arabic: garnet
Polish: garnet
Russian: garnet or hyacinth (zircon)
Italian: garnet or jacinth (zircon)

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Gabriel
Male Talismanic Gem: onyx
Apostle: Simon Peter
Zodiac: Aquarius
Flower: snowdrop

February

The February born shall find
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If she an amethyst will wear.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Free from passion, care and strife,
If an amethyst she cherish all her life.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

Let her an amethyst but cherish well,
And strife and care can never with her dwell.
(Tiffany & Co., 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: amethyst
Traditional, 1800-1900: amethyst or pearl

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: amethyst
Roman: amethyst
Spanish: amethyst
Arabic: amethyst
Polish: amethyst
Russian: amethyst
Italian: amethyst

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Barchiel
Male Talismanic Gem: jasper
Apostle: Andrew
Zodiac: Pisces
Flower: primrose

March

So strong and wise, and wilful, firm and brave,
Wears a bloodstone through all danger to her grave.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

Who on this world of ours their eyes
In March first open shall be wise,
In days of peril firm and brave
And wear a bloodstone to their grave.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Who wears a jasper, be life short or long,
Will meet all dangers, brave and wise and strong.
(Tiffany & Co., 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: aquamarine or bloodstone
Traditional, 1800-1900: jasper, amethyst, or hyacinth (zircon)

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: jasper
Roman: bloodstone
Spanish: jasper
Arabic: bloodstone
Polish: bloodstone
Russian: jasper
Italian: jasper

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Malchediel
Male Talismanic Gem: ruby
Apostles: James and John
Zodiac: Aries
Flower: Ipomoea (blue morning glory) or violet

April

Innocent, repentant— Sun and shower—
Wears a diamond or a sapphire as her dower.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

She who from April dates her years,
Diamonds shall wear, lest bitter tears
For vain repentance flow. This stone
Emblem of innocence is known.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: diamond
Traditional, 1800-1900: diamond or sapphire

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: sapphire
Roman: sapphire
Spanish: sapphire
Arabic: sapphire
Polish: diamond
Russian: sapphire
Italian: sapphire

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Ashmodel
Male Talismanic Gem: topaz
Apostle: Philip
Zodiac: Taurus
Flower: daisy

May

The happiest wife and mother in the land
Wears an emerald shining on her hand.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Who first beholds the light of day
In spring’s sweet, flowery month of May,
And wears an emerald all her life,
Shall be a loved and happy wife.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: emerald
Traditional, 1800-1900: agate

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: chalcedony, carnelian, or agate
Roman: agate
Spanish: agate
Arabic: emerald
Polish: emerald
Russian: emerald
Italian: agate

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Amriel
Male Talismanic Gem: carbuncle (see ruby and spinel)
Apostle: Bartholomew
Zodiac: Gemini
Flower: hawthorne

June

June, with health and wealth and many happy years,
Wears an agate lest her sunshine turns to tears.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

Who comes with summer to this earth,
And owes to June her hour birth,
With ring of agate on her hand
Can health, wealth and long life command.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Thro’ the moss agate’s charm, the happy years
Ne’er see June’s sunshine turn to tears.
(Tiffany & Co., 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: pearl, moonstone or alexandrite
Traditional, 1800-1900: emerald, cats eye or turquoise

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: emerald
Roman: emerald
Spanish: emerald
Arabic: agate or chalcedony
Polish: agate or chalcedony
Russian: agate or chalcedony
Italian: emerald

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Muriel
Male Talismanic Gem: emerald
Apostle: Thomas
Zodiac: Cancer
Flower: honeysuckle

July

Loving, doubting, only finds her rest
With a ruby glowing on her breast.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

The glowing ruby shall adorn
Those who in July are born;
Then they’ll be exempt and free
From love’s doubts and anxiety.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

The heav’n blue turquoise should adorn
All those who in July are born;
For thus they’ll be exempt and free
From love’s doubts and anxiety.
(Tiffany & Co., 1909)

No other gem than turquoise on her breast
Can to the loving, doubting heart bring rest.
(Tiffany & Co., 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: ruby
Traditional, 1800-1900: turquoise and onyx

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: onyx
Roman: onyx
Spanish: onyx
Arabic: carnelian
Polish: ruby
Russian: ruby or sardonyx (see onyx)
Italian: onyx

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Verchiel
Male Talismanic Gem: sapphire
Apostle: Matthew
Zodiac: Leo
Flower: water lily

August

Wear a carnelian, or for thee no conjugal felicity;
The August borne without this stone
‘Tis said must live, unloved and lone.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Loving once and always, wears, if wise
Carnelian, and her home becomes a paradise.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: peridot
Traditional, 1800-1900: moonstone, topaz or sardonyx (onyx)

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: carnelian
Roman: carnelian
Spanish: carnelian
Arabic: sardonyx (see onyx)
Polish: sardonyx (see onyx)
Russian: alexandrite
Italian: carnelian

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Hamatiel
Male Talismanic Gem: diamond
Apostle: James the son of Alpheus
Zodiac: Virgo
Flower: poppy

September

A maiden born when September leaves
Are rustling in September’s breeze,
A sapphire on her brow should bind—
‘Twill cure diseases of the mind.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

Chrysolite on sweet September’s brow we bind,
Lest some folly or enchantment cloud her mind.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: sapphire
Traditional, 1800-1900: chrysolite (peridot), diamond or sapphire

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: chrysolite (see peridot)
Roman: sardonyx (see onyx)
Spanish: chrysolite (see peridot)
Arabic: chrysolite (see peridot)
Polish: sardonyx (see onyx)
Russian: chrysolite (see peridot)
Italian: chrysolite (see peridot)

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Tsuriel
Male Talismanic Gem: jacinth (zircon)
Apostle: Lebbeus Thaddeus
Zodiac: Libra
Flower: morning glory

October

Fair October wears the opal’s frost and fire,
Hope and courage in misfortune to inspire.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

October’s child is born for woe,
And life’s vicissitudes must know,
But lay an opal on her breast,
And hope will lull those woes to rest.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892)

When fair October to her bring the beryl,
No longer need she fear misfortunes peril.
(Tiffany & Co., 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: opal or tourmaline
Traditional, 1800-1900: opal or sapphire

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: aquamarine or beryl
Roman: aquamarine or beryl
Spanish: aquamarine or beryl
Arabic: aquamarine or beryl
Polish: aquamarine
Russian: beryl
Italian: beryl

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Bariel
Male Talismanic Gem: agate
Apostle: Simon Zelotes
Zodiac: Scorpio
Flower: hops

November

Who first comes to this world below
With drear November’s fog and snow,
Should prize the topaz’s amber hue—
Emblem of friends and lovers true.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Firm in friendship is November, and she bears
Loyal love beneath the topaz that she wears.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: topaz or citrine
Traditional, 1800-1900: topaz or pearl

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: topaz
Roman: topaz
Spanish: topaz
Arabic: topaz
Polish: topaz
Russian: topaz
Italian: topaz

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Adnachiel
Male Talismanic Gem: amethyst
Apostle: Matthias
Zodiac: Saggitarius
Flower: chrysanthemum

December

Friends and lovers for December, fortune, fame,
If an amulet of turquoise bear her name.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

If cold December gave you birth—
The month of snow and ice and mirth—
Place on your hand a turquoise blue:
Success will bless whate’er you do.
(Tiffany & Co., 1892, 1909)

Birthstones

Modern, post-1900: turquoise, tanzanite or zircon
Traditional, 1800-1900: ruby or bloodstone

Pre-1900 Birthstones

Jewish: ruby
Roman: ruby
Spanish: ruby
Arabic: ruby
Polish: turquoise
Russian: turquoise or chrysoprase
Italian: ruby

Symbols

Guardian Angel: Humiel
Male Talismanic Gem: beryl
Apostle: Paul
Zodiac: Capricorn
Flower: holly