Birthstone Gem Guide and Inexpensive Alternatives--October, November & December

January, February & March Birthstone Guide

April, May, June Birthstone Guide

July, August , September Birthstone Guide

The modern list of birthstones was officially adopted by American National Association of Jewelers in 1912 to solidify traditions of hundreds of years. It has only been updated once, in 2002 include amazing purple Tanzanite as an alternative stone for December.

Many woman grew up treasuring their unique birthstone, especially those with stones that would have appealed to them regardless. Those born with diamonds, emeralds, pearls, rubies or sapphires as their birthstones may have a special place in their heart for their unchosen symbol while others with more unusual stones such as amethyst or opal may feel a kinship to the special and unique properties of the stone.

The verses with each month were published by Tiffany and Co in 1870, before the standardization in 1912. Author is unknown.

October Birthstone -- Opal and Tourmaline

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.

Opal
Description: Opal is a pearlescent stone that displays an iridescent play of color across its surface. It is available in dozens of colors, but the most common for birthstones are white/pearl and blue.

Alternatives: Although certain grades of opal can be affordable, an alternative to the beautiful luster can be found in the rainbow moonstone. It is not an exact match but it displays some of the properties such as its delicate play of color over a lustrous surface that make opal so prized.

Another option is the iridescent mother of pearl. Choose white, off white, or blue with no mottling for a more realistic effect.

Tourmaline
Description: Tourmaline is the traditional birthstone of October and some varieties even resemble opal as they have diachronic properties (meaning that different colors are seen from different angles). Tourmaline is also available in nearly every color of the rainbow and can range from affordable to ridiculously expensive.

Alternatives: Depending on the desired color of the Tourmaline there are many alternatives. Another diachronic stone is the amazing mystic topaz, which appear purple from some angles and nearly every color of the rainbow from others.

November Birthstone -- Yellow Topaz and Citrine

Who first comes to this world below
In dreary November's fog and snow,
Should prize the topaz amber hue,
Emblem of friends and lovers true.

Description: The only yellow stone among the birthstones, yellow topaz and citrine are both warm colors perfect for the harvest month of November. Citrine is a variety of yellow quartz and nearly indistinguishable from yellow topaz to the naked eye.

Alternatives: In some settings both stones are relatively inexpensive but with the explosion of the popularity of citrine the price can climb. One alternative is yellow garnet. As it's a less desirable permutation of the stone, it can be less expensive than traditional red garnet.

December Birthstone --- Blue Topaz, Turquoise, Tanzanite, Turquoise, Lapis Lazuli

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.

Description: There are many blue and purple stones to represent the snowy month of December. From translucent beauties such as blue topaz to traditional solid turquoise and lapis Lazuli, the only constant is the cool colors.

Alternatives: Most of these stones are fairly inexpensive with the exception of Tanzanite and certain types of Turquoise (such as Sleeping Beauty Turquoise). London quartz is a pale blue stone. Iolite is a violet blue stone of considerable popularity sometimes known as a "water sapphire."

As Tanzanite is quite popular, there are many imitation stones available. You can also consider the diachronic mystic topaz. It appears purple from some angles and nearly every color of the rainbow from others.

If these aren't the birthstone months you're looking for, see:

January, February & March Birthstone Guide

April, May, June Birthstone Guide

July, August , September Birthstone Guide