December's Five Birthstones: The More, The Merrier

If you like having options or frequently change up your style, there is no better month to be born in than December. The last month of December, for gem enthusiasts, is like a grand finale to the year. With five official stones it can count, this month has more birthstones than any other one. The common thread that links these gems together is that they all showcase the versatile, wintery beauty of the color blue.

This midnight-blue gem with flecks of white and gold (traces of calcite and pyrite, respectively) appears in legends all the way back to ancient times. The Sumerians associated lapis lazuli with their goddess of love, Innana, while the Egyptians used the stone to represent their goddess of truth, Maat. Lapis lazuli was also significant during the Renaissance, when it was ground up to make ultramarine blue pigment for many iconic works of art. 

Today, in keeping with its ancient associations to goddesses of love and truth, lapis lazuli is still known as the “stone of truth and companionship.” Some say it can help maintain successful friendships, making the gem a wonderful gift choice for your friends. Lapis lazuli jewelry is also known as the traditional gift for the 9th and 32nd wedding anniversaries.

Turquoise is believed to be one of the first gemstones ever mined. The typically aqua-colored stone has been used in many locations around the world for thousands of years, from China to the Middle East. However, its most famous use is in Native American culture. Native Americans attach great spiritual significance and power to turquoise, so the gem appears frequently in their jewelry. 

In the current day, some people connect turquoise jewelry to increased good luck, wisdom and inner peace, and the stone is popular for 11th anniversary gifts. If you enjoy the rugged, earthy motifs and colors of the desert, turquoise is also often featured in JTV’s Southwest Style Collection. 

It makes sense that tanzanite, which is found only in a small area of Tanzania, is the subject of legends told by the Maasai tribes who live there. According to them, the gorgeous, clear blue gem with faint violet undertones was created when lightning struck the earth. In fact, most tanzanite gems on the market are heat-treated — they can either get their blue color from being naturally heated in the ground or, more often, being heated in a lab. 

Tanzanite jewelry is commonly given as a 24th anniversary gift. People who believe in the spiritual properties of gems also attribute some interesting powers to the stone. They say that tanzanite enhances the ability of the heart and intellect to work together, as well as your ability to transform into the best version of yourself. 

While orange-yellow topaz is a November birthstone, the blue variants of the stone are December birthstones. Natural blue topaz is very rare, so most specimens are created by artificial radiation. There are three shades for December babies to choose from: sky blue, Swiss blue and London blue. Sky blue is the most pale and icy shade, while swiss blue is an electric medium blue and London blue is an unusual dusty blue.

In ancient times, the Egyptians utilized blue topaz as a symbol of their sun god, Ra, and other cultures believed the stone would change color if it was placed near poisoned food or drinks. 

Blue topaz jewelry remains popular today because, in addition to its beauty, it is quite affordable and durable. With a Mohs Hardness Scale level of 8, it can withstand a lot of wear and can be easily cleaned. When your topaz jewelry gets dirty, just gently scrub it with a soft brush and warm, mild soap water. Topaz is also a traditional 4th, 19th and 23rd anniversary gift. Finally, some believe that the gem attracts love and good luck and can reveal lies. 

Like topaz, blue zircon also offers a range of shades to choose from, from pastels to dusty, darker tones and even greenish blues. In the Middle Ages, zircon was well-known for its purported abilities to help with sleep and ward off evil.

Clearly, you can’t go wrong with any of the December birthstone jewelry you choose. Each option has its own unique beauty and illustrious historical backstory. What it all comes down to is your personal taste and the gem that you feel best represents your personality and style. 

The December birthstones are lapis lazuli, turquoise, tanzanite, blue topaz and blue zircon.

There is no single “real” December birthstone. The officially designated birthstones have changed over time due to popularity, affordability and jewelers’ ability to make money selling certain stones. Therefore, all five of the December birthstones are “real” birthstones, as at some point in history they were chosen as the official one.