Turquoise

The December birthstone: Turquoise

December has several blue birthstones: turquoise, tanzanite, zircon and blue topaz. Turquoise is the ancient favourite, worn for protection across many cultures, while tanzanite is a modern discovery found only near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

As a colour, Turquoise sits in the sky blue to teal range, which is part of why it feels so tied to the season. If you were born in December, this is the gem most jewellers and birthday charts will point you to, and the one that appears on a modern birthstone card.

What the December birthstone means

In the older lore, Turquoise was linked to protection, friendship and good fortune. That symbolism is a tradition rather than a fact, but it is the reason the stone has stayed meaningful as a birthday gift for so long. Different cultures added their own associations, yet the core meaning has held remarkably steady.

Alternative December birthstones

December is not limited to a single stone. Alongside Turquoise, the month is also linked to Tanzanite and Zircon and Blue Topaz. Any of these is a valid December birthstone, so you can pick the colour and meaning that suits you best.

December birth flower and zodiac signs

A birthstone is only part of the picture. The December birth flower is the Narcissus (Paperwhite), and anyone born this month falls under Sagittarius or Capricorn. For everything about the month in one place, see the December overview.

Frequently asked questions

Birthstones for other months