Birthstones by month: the lab-created and affordable option for each
Every month has a birthstone, and most can be bought affordably: sapphire (September), ruby (July), emerald (May) and alexandrite (June) are available lab-created, with the same mineral as the mined stone; garnet, amethyst, peridot, citrine and topaz are inexpensive even natural; and April's diamond can be swapped for moissanite. The table lists the modern US birthstones and the listing words to look for.
Where the list comes from
The modern US birthstone list was set by jewelers in 1912 and updated since: spinel was added for August in 2016. Several months have more than one stone, so there is usually an affordable choice.
Lab-created vs simulated
"Created", "lab-created" or "lab-grown" means the real mineral, grown in a lab. "Simulated" means a look-alike, often glass or cubic zirconia. Cheap "alexandrite" and "tanzanite" are usually simulants, so the listing wording matters most for those.
| Month | Birthstone | Affordable option | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Garnet | Natural garnet is inexpensive | Garnet |
| February | Amethyst | Natural amethyst is inexpensive | Amethyst |
| March | Aquamarine | Natural aquamarine in small sizes; lab spinel is a look-alike | Aquamarine |
| April | Diamond | Moissanite or lab-grown diamond | Moissanite |
| May | Emerald | Lab-created emerald | Lab emerald |
| June | Pearl, alexandrite, moonstone | Cultured pearl, or lab-created alexandrite | Pearl |
| July | Ruby | Lab-created ruby | Lab ruby |
| August | Peridot, spinel | Natural peridot is inexpensive | Peridot |
| September | Sapphire | Lab-created sapphire | Lab sapphire |
| October | Opal, tourmaline | Lab-created opal, or natural pink tourmaline | Opal |
| November | Topaz, citrine | Natural citrine and topaz are inexpensive | Citrine |
| December | Turquoise, tanzanite, zircon | Blue topaz or natural zircon; cheap "tanzanite" is usually simulated | Blue topaz |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a lab-created birthstone a real birthstone?
Yes. A lab-created sapphire, ruby, emerald or alexandrite is the same mineral as the mined stone, with the same hardness and colour cause. Only "simulated" stones are imitations.
What is the April birthstone alternative to diamond?
Moissanite is the most popular: it looks like diamond, is nearly as hard and costs a fraction as much. Lab-grown diamond is the other option.
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