Gift guide
Birthstone gifts in antique and vintage jewelry
A birth month narrows an entire catalog down to one stone. Here is how to shop that way well, and what each stone actually looks like set by hand a century ago.
Birthstone jewelry is one of the oldest gifting traditions there is, and it works because it does the choosing for you. Instead of guessing at taste, you start from a fact: the month someone was born, and the stone the American trade has associated with it since 1912, with some months carrying more than one recognized option.
Antique and vintage birthstone jewelry has an advantage a new piece cannot match. A Victorian garnet ring or an Art Deco sapphire pendant was cut and set for someone else's life first, which gives the stone a depth of color and a hand-finished setting that current mass production rarely bothers with.
Some birthstones are far more common in antique jewelry than others. Garnet, pearl, sapphire, ruby, emerald, amethyst, aquamarine and turquoise turn up constantly across every era we handle. Opal, peridot and topaz are less common and worth booking a video viewing for before you commit, since availability changes week to week with single stock.
Hardness matters more here than with most gifts, because a birthstone piece is often worn daily for years. Sapphire and ruby sit at nine on the Mohs scale and take everyday wear well. Emerald, opal, pearl and turquoise are softer and more porous, and are better suited to a pendant, earrings or occasional wear rather than a ring worn every day.
The edit
Garnet, January
Bohemian clusters and deep Victorian reds, some of the best value in antique jewelry.
About $250 to $2,500
Nothing matching this is available right now. Every piece is a single example and sells once, so this changes weekly. Browse everything in stock or ask our buyers to look for it.
The edit
Sapphire, September
The most durable colored stone there is, in rings, pendants and cluster settings.
About $250 to $2,500, fine stones higher
Nothing matching this is available right now. Every piece is a single example and sells once, so this changes weekly. Browse everything in stock or ask our buyers to look for it.
The edit
Pearl, June
Natural and cultured pearls, identified as far as we can establish and restrung on silk.
About $250 to $2,500, fine strands higher
Nothing matching this is available right now. Every piece is a single example and sells once, so this changes weekly. Browse everything in stock or ask our buyers to look for it.
The edit
Diamond, April
Old mine, old European and transitional cuts, warmer and slower than a modern brilliant.
$2,500 to $50,000 and above
Nothing matching this is available right now. Every piece is a single example and sells once, so this changes weekly. Browse everything in stock or ask our buyers to look for it.
Questions people ask before gifting
Which stone belongs to which month?
The modern list, maintained by the American trade since 1912 and revised since, assigns garnet to January, amethyst to February, aquamarine to March, diamond to April, emerald to May, pearl to June, ruby to July, peridot to August, sapphire to September, opal to October, topaz to November and turquoise to December, with some months recognizing an alternate stone as well. Our birth month guide covers each in full, with the alternates.
Is there one official birthstone list?
No. The modern US list we follow is the one the American trade has maintained since 1912 and revised since, but older and other national lists exist and sometimes disagree, so treat any list as a tradition rather than a rule.
Can I wear a birthstone that is not mine?
Yes, and antique jewelry makes this easy, since the original owner's birth month is unknown and unrelated to the stone. Choose by color and hardness the same way you would for any gemstone gift.
Are birthstone gifts a good choice for someone hard to shop for?
Often yes, because the stone is chosen for them rather than by them, which sidesteps the guesswork. Pair it with a video viewing so they still get to see the exact piece before it is confirmed.
Before you buy
See the piece in daylight on a private video call before you commit. A specialist holds it, turns it, and answers honestly about condition and fit.
How video viewings work