Collection: May Birthstones

For centuries, agate and emerald shared the position of May’s birthstone across different cultures. According to George Kunz (America’s first gemologist and Tiffany & Co. vice president), in his 1893 research, agate was the birthstone for May in Jewish, Roman, Spanish, and Italian traditions, while emerald was favored in Russian, Polish, and Arab traditions. However, due to agate’s lower market value, the American National Retail Jewelers Association selected emerald as May’s official birthstone in 1912.
In Western astrology, most of May falls under Taurus, ruled by Venus, making emerald a natural choice, as it represents luxury, beauty, love, and material success. However, in Vedic astrology, May is divided between Aries (Mars) and Taurus (Venus), while emerald is linked to Mercury, aligning with its intellect-enhancing and communicative properties. Additionally, early May often marks Akshaya Tritiya, a highly auspicious day when both the Sun and Moon are exalted, reinforcing agate’s connection to May—with white agate symbolizing the Moon and red agate representing Mars.
Thus, agate has deeper Vedic ties, while emerald aligns with Western traditions—the choice depends on which tradition you follow.