What to Look for in Birthstone Jewelry Gemstone Type and Quality

Erin Eagle is a fashion stylist and the founder of A Style Set, a community-driven styling platform.

Khadijah Fulton is the founder and creative director of jewelry label WHITE SPACE.

Kristin Chase is a gemology expert at The RealReal, luxury consignment platform.

Gemstone: 2-millimeter natural tanzanite, 10–13-millimeter natural Keshi pearl | Metals: 14k solid gold | Sizes: 16-inch chain “No two baroques are exactly alike, and setting birthstones into the ‘heart’ of these natural beauties is a perfect way to personalize them even further, celebrating the special magic in each of us.” Looking for other options? In addition to tanzanite, four other blue-hued stones are associated with December: blue topaz, blue zircon, turquoise, and lapis lazuli. “The beautiful ‘imperfections’ of baroque and keshi pearls are wonderful reminders to love the imperfections and uniqueness in ourselves,” says the brand’s founder and creative director Khadijah Fulton. Each birthstone-in this case, tanzanite-is set in an organically shaped (see: unique) Keshi pearl and hung on a solid 14k gold chain.

To simplify the shopping process, we tapped a team of jewelry experts and gemologists to help narrow down the list, along with helpful pointers for shopping for fine and semi-fine jewelry.Īhead, the best birthstone jewelry-necklaces, rings, earrings, and more-that’ll make your jewelry stack a little more personal.įor a truly one-of-a-kind birthstone necklace, we’re eyeing this stunning baroque pearl necklace from jewelry label White Space. But modern birthstones as we know them now emerged in the early 1900s and were then updated in the 1950s, where some months took on secondary and tertiary (even quaternary!) alternatives.īirthstone jewelry can be some of the most personal and meaningful pieces of jewelry we own-and likely some we’ll wear often, if not daily-which is why any purchase requires careful consideration. According to the International Gem Society, wearing certain gemstones based on when you were born dates back to 16th-century Europe and also has roots in 5th-century Hinduism. Zodiac-themed jewelry may have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years, but wearing birthstone jewelry-or jewelry featuring semi-precious and precious gemstones associated with the month you were born-is a centuries-old tradition.

Raw amethyst necklace gold