Keep Your Diamonds—This More Affordable Y2K Jewellery Trend Is Back on the Up

There’s nothing quite as exciting as a new piece of jewellery. For me, like most women, curating their jewellery capsule wardrobe has been an integral part of growing up and a core part of that rite of passage is, in my opinion, owning your first birthstone necklace. When I think of my favourite necklaces, I think of the events that led to their possession. Each piece I’ve received, especially those purchased to celebrate or commemorate, holds a high level of sentiment. When I look down at my current collection, it feels like a physical roadmap of my nearest and dearest.

It might surprise you to learn, then, that I've never owned a birthstone necklace, or anything birthstone for that matter. As a June Cancer—the distinction is important, people— my birthstone is a pearl. But why does the idea of a birthstone necklace feel so ‘woo woo’? Like many Gen Z, I’ve explored astrology (so I know to stay inside when Mercury, once again, goes into retrograde) but I've never really deep dived into birthstones. Could there be something to the birthstone after all? Why do people choose to wear their birthstones? And do they really bring the luck, love, and financial abundance they’re said to? Here's hoping...

With birthstone jewellery trending again (and looking much chicer than it did back in the 2000s) I tapped a handful of experts to find out the answers to my questions above and then curated an edit of the most stylish and special birthstone necklaces out there.

What Is the History of the Birthstone Necklace?

With biblical roots, the modern adaptation of birthstones found its semblance in 18th-century Poland, thanks to mineralogist George Kunz. By 1870, Tiffany Co. had standardised the concept of the monthly birthstone, matching each month of the calendar to a specific stone. This solidified the belief that your birthstone is intimately connected to who you are. One of the best ways to show you know and love someone is by gifting them a piece that expresses just that. Rachel Jackson, owner of Rachel Jackson London, echoes this idea, stating, 'there’s something powerful about wearing a piece that feels connected to you—whether that’s your birth month or a gemstone.' As humans, we love a piece that 'carries a message you relate to.' By tapping into your perceived core identity, those who wear birthstones often see them as adding additional purpose to their lives.

Why Are Birthstone Necklaces So Popular?

As a jeweler who believes in the empowering sentimentality of jewellery, Jackson has chosen to work with birthstones intimately. Having “always believed jewellery should feel empowering—like something you connect with emotionally, not just visually” she felt birthstone jewellery was the natural next step in her collections as “they’re so symbolic…allow{ing} people to tell a story without having to say very much at all.” Shadowing the sentiment that I, like so many others feel about my pieces, the addition of a birthstone creates a modern-day talisman, personal to you and a special addition to your roadmap. When choosing a birthstone necklace, Jackson remarks that choosing a piece that “you’ll love...and wear for years” is most important.

Which Celebrities Wear Birthstone Necklaces?

The emergence of quiet luxury, spearheaded by A-listers such as Sofia Richie, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Jennifer Lawrence, has mirrored trends in jewellery. The shift away from ‘trendy throwaway styles’ is a pattern that Jackson has keenly observed, noting that the increase in birthstone jewelry is tied to consumers seeking ‘pieces that feel personal and intentional.’ Birthstone necklaces, with their timeless and meaningful appeal, evoke a sense of being ‘everyday,’ yet special. With a piece that tells its own story, a birthstone necklace offers the sentimentality we all crave, with an added je ne sais quoi.

While the jury is still out on whether birthstone necklaces can completely reconstruct your life, they are a timeless styling piece that can bring an added unique, visual interest when choosing to style an outfit. Whether you're shopping for your own birthstone, or someone else's, there are a variety of playful timeless adaptions on the market and I have compiled the very best below.

Check What Your Birthstone Is

• January = Garnet
• February = Amethyst
• March = Aquamarine
• April = Diamond
• May = Emerald
• June = Pearl
• July = Ruby
• August = Peridot
• September = Sapphire
• October = Opal
• November = Citrine
• December = Turquoise

Shop My Edit of the Best Birthstone Necklaces