Shop now, pay later
The zodiac stone is a gem traditionally paired with a sun sign rather than a calendar month, drawing on astrological systems that predate modern birthstone lists. Jewelers at SilverRush Style field questions about these pairings every week, so we put together a straight guide with verifiable facts on each stone. Use it to pick a piece that matches your chart and holds up to daily wear.
Zodiac Stones vs. Birthstones
Birthstones follow a list standardized by the American National Retail Jewelers Association in 1912 and updated by Jewelers of America. Zodiac stones, sometimes called astral stones, trace back to older sources, including the breastplate described in Exodus and later Vedic jyotish traditions.
The two lists overlap in places and diverge in others. A Scorpio born in November might see citrine or topaz on a birthstone chart but opal or beryl on a zodiac chart. Both can be correct depending on which tradition you follow.
If you want jewelry tied to astrology rather than the month on your driver’s license, the zodiac list is the one to use. Our sterling silver jewelry collections include most of the stones below in rings, pendants, and earrings.
Zodiac Stones by Sign
Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 19): Bloodstone
Bloodstone is a dark green chalcedony speckled with red jasper inclusions of iron oxide. It rates 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale and comes mainly from India, Brazil, and Australia. The stone was called heliotrope by Greek writers and has been used in signet carvings since Roman times.
Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20): Sapphire
Sapphire is corundum (Al2O3) colored by trace iron and titanium, scoring 9 on Mohs. Historic sources include Kashmir, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, with Madagascar now supplying a large share of the market. Only diamond and moissanite outrank it for hardness among common gems.
Gemini (May 21 – Jun 20): Agate
Agate is a banded variety of cryptocrystalline quartz (SiO2) at 6.5–7 Mohs. Botswana, Brazil, and Uruguay are leading sources, and the stone takes its name from the Achates River in Sicily, where Theophrastus recorded it around 300 BCE.
Cancer (Jun 21 – Jul 22): Moonstone
Moonstone is a potassium feldspar that shows adularescence, a blue-white sheen caused by light scattering between thin feldspar layers. It sits at 6–6.5 Mohs. Sri Lanka produces the finest blue material, with additional supply from India and Madagascar.
Leo (Jul 23 – Aug 22): Peridot
Peridot is gem-grade olivine, (Mg,Fe)2SiO4, at 6.5–7 Mohs. The San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona is a major source, along with Pakistan’s Suppat deposit and Myanmar. Some peridot crystals have been identified in pallasite meteorites.
For a sterling piece you can wear daily, pair peridot with a protective bezel setting since it can chip at the edges.
Virgo (Aug 23 – Sep 22): Carnelian
Carnelian is a red-orange chalcedony colored by iron oxide, 6.5–7 on Mohs. Brazil, India, and Uruguay supply most commercial material. Carnelian seals were common in Mesopotamia from roughly 2500 BCE.
Libra (Sep 23 – Oct 22): Opal
Opal is hydrated silica (SiO2·nH2O) with 3–21% water content, rating 5.5–6.5 Mohs. Australia produces about 95% of the world’s precious opal, with additional sources in Ethiopia and Mexico. Its lower hardness means it suits earrings and pendants more than rings.
Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21): Topaz or Beryl
Topaz is a fluorine-bearing aluminum silicate at Mohs 8, mined in Brazil’s Minas Gerais, Pakistan, and Russia. Beryl, including aquamarine, rates 7.5–8 and comes from Brazil, Colombia, and several African sources. Both work well in rings.
Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21): Turquoise
Turquoise is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum, CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O, rating 5–6 Mohs. The Sleeping Beauty mine in Arizona and sources in Iran’s Khorasan province produce the best-known material. Most commercial turquoise is stabilized to prevent color change.
Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19): Garnet
Garnet is a group of silicate minerals with hardness between 6.5 and 7.5. Almandine and pyrope are the most common red varieties, mined in India, Madagascar, and Mozambique. Tsavorite, a green grossular garnet, comes from Kenya and Tanzania.
Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18): Amethyst
Amethyst is purple quartz (SiO2) at 7 Mohs, colored by iron and natural irradiation. Brazil, Uruguay, and Zambia are the main producers. Zambian material tends toward deeper violet with red flashes.
Pisces (Feb 19 – Mar 20): Amethyst or Aquamarine
Aquamarine is blue beryl, Be3Al2Si6O18, at 7.5–8 Mohs. Brazil, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Madagascar are current sources. The stone’s name comes from the Latin aqua marina, meaning sea water.
Picking a Setting That Lasts
Sterling silver is 92.5% silver alloyed with 7.5% copper or other metals, giving it enough strength to hold most gems securely. Softer stones like opal and turquoise do best in bezel settings that cover the girdle. Harder stones such as sapphire and topaz can handle prong settings and open galleries.
Store silver pieces in anti-tarnish bags and keep porous stones away from ultrasonic cleaners. Browse our sterling silver jewelry catalog by stone to find your sign, or message our team if you want help matching a gem to a specific piece.
