Alongside the birthstones by month there is an older tradition that gives each sign of the zodiac its own stones. The idea comes from antiquity, when stones were thought to carry the powers of the planets, and it was written down in many versions since. There is no official list: the stones differ by author, country and century, and a stone may belong to two signs. The table below follows a widely used European gem reference; other books will name other stones, and none of them is wrong.
Many people choose a zodiac stone the way they choose a birthstone, as a gift with a meaning, and the two lists overlap only partly. Someone born on 10 May gets emerald by month and carnelian or rose quartz by sign.
| Sign | Dates | Stones | Also named |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | 21 March – 20 April | Red jasper, carnelian | Bloodstone, chalcedony, chrysoprase, ruby, flint |
| Taurus | 21 April – 20 May | Carnelian, rose quartz | Golden topaz, coral, lapis lazuli, quartz, sapphire, sard, emerald |
| Gemini | 21 May – 21 June | Citrine, tiger's eye | Agate, aquamarine, rock crystal, chrysocolla, jasper, onyx, topaz, turquoise |
| Cancer | 22 June – 22 July | Chrysoprase, aventurine | White chalcedony, chrysolite (peridot), diamond, carnelian, moonstone, rhodochrosite, emerald |
| Leo | 23 July – 23 August | Rock crystal, gold quartz | Almandine garnet, amber, chrysolite, citrine, diamond, carnelian, onyx, ruby |
| Virgo | 24 August – 23 September | Citrine, yellow agate | Amazonite, beryl, jasper, carnelian, sardonyx, turquoise, zircon |
| Libra | 24 September – 23 October | Orange citrine, smoky quartz | Aventurine, beryl, diamond, jade, kunzite, nephrite, opal, peridot, sardonyx, emerald, topaz, pink tourmaline |
| Scorpio | 24 October – 22 November | Blood-red carnelian | Agate, aquamarine, chalcedony, chrysoprase, garnet, obsidian, smoky quartz, ruby, topaz |
| Sagittarius | 23 November – 21 December | Sapphire, chalcedony | Amethyst, rock crystal, beryl, garnet, pyrope, blue quartz, sodalite, spinel, topaz |
| Capricorn | 22 December – 20 January | Onyx, quartz cat's eye | Amethyst, beryl, jet, malachite, obsidian, peridot, smoky quartz, ruby, green tourmaline |
| Aquarius | 21 January – 19 February | Turquoise, hawk's eye | Amazonite, amethyst, aquamarine, chrysocolla, celestine, garnet, jasper, malachite, obsidian, blue sapphire |
| Pisces | 20 February – 20 March | Amethyst, amethyst quartz | Aquamarine, blue quartz, diamond, jade, moonstone, opal, sapphire, sugilite |
The dates shift by a day depending on the year; someone born on a boundary day belongs to whichever sign the almanac of that year gives.
What the list is made of
Most zodiac stones are quartz and chalcedony: carnelian, jasper, agate, citrine, amethyst, rose and smoky quartz, tiger's eye. These were the stones of the classical world, cut as seals and amulets long before faceting existed, which is why they carry the older tradition. The precious stones, sapphire, ruby, emerald and diamond, appear as later additions in the second column.
Which ones can be worn every day
The quartz family sits at 7 on the Mohs scale and holds up well in a ring; carnelian, agate and jasper are worn as signet stones for that reason. Turquoise, malachite, jet, opal, moonstone and coral are soft and better in earrings or a pendant. See which gemstones can be worn every day.
As a gift
A zodiac stone is a personal choice rather than a rule. Pick the stone from the sign whose colour suits the wearer, or combine it with the birthstone in one piece: a carnelian beside an emerald for a Taurus born in May. A goldsmith can set the two in a way that protects the softer one. Describe your piece and name the sign.