If you or someone you love has an October birthday, you are lucky twice over, because October has two birthstones: opal and tourmaline. One is the stone I have built my life around; the other comes in more colors than any gem I know. After fifty years at the bench I have set a great deal of both. Here is what each one is, how to tell them apart, and how to choose between them.
October’s two birthstones
Opal is the traditional October birthstone and the one most people picture. Tourmaline was added later as a second official stone, partly because it is hard-wearing and comes in every color you can think of, which gives October babies plenty of choice. Both are recognized birthstones for the month, so you cannot go wrong with either.
Opal, the classic choice
Opal is the stone with the rainbow fire inside it, what we call play-of-color, and no two are ever alike. It has been linked to October for a long time and carries a lovely old reputation as a stone of hope and creativity. If opal is the one that calls to you, start with my guide to understanding opal, or read more about it as a birthday stone in opal birthstone. The folklore, including the old myth that opal is unlucky, I cover in opal meaning.
Shopping for an October birthday? Browse the handcrafted opal rings in my collection, or ask me about a custom piece built around a stone you love.
Tourmaline, October’s colorful choice
Tourmaline is the gem that cannot decide on a color, which is exactly its charm. It grows in pinks, greens, blues and combinations of all three, and the variety names below describe what you are looking at. If you are choosing tourmaline for an October birthday, knowing the colors helps you pick.
Rubellite is the pink to red tourmaline, the warm, romantic end of the family and one of the most prized colors.-
Indicolite is blue tourmaline, which is genuinely rare and runs from a soft sky to a deep teal.
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Verdelite is green tourmaline, the most common and easy-to-find color, from grassy to deep forest green.
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Watermelon tourmaline shows pink at the center and green around the rim, often cut in slices so you can see both, just like the fruit.
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Paraiba is the famous neon blue to green tourmaline, colored by copper, extremely rare and the most valuable of all.
Which October stone should you choose?
It comes down to what you want from the stone. Opal is one of a kind and full of moving color, but it is soft and likes gentle wear, so it suits a piece you will treat with a little care. Tourmaline is harder and more practical for everyday rings, and it lets you choose an exact color to suit the person. For a stone with magic and history, I point people to opal. For a hard-wearing splash of a favorite color, tourmaline is hard to beat.
Anniversaries too
Opal is also the traditional gift for a fourteenth wedding anniversary, and tourmaline for an eighth, so these stones come round again long after the birthday.
Born in another month?
If you are shopping for a June birthday instead, that month also has a lovely set of stones, which I cover in June birthstone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the birthstone for October? October has two: opal and tourmaline. Opal is the traditional stone and tourmaline the second, more recent one, and both are official.
What color is the October birthstone? Opal can show every color at once in its play-of-color, while tourmaline comes in single colors from pink to green to blue. So October’s color is really “any you like.”
Is opal or tourmaline the real October birthstone? Both are. Opal is the older, traditional choice; tourmaline was added as a hard-wearing alternative. Pick whichever suits the wearer.
What does the October birthstone mean? Opal has long stood for hope, creativity and faithfulness. Tourmaline is associated with balance and protection. I go deeper on opal’s symbolism in opal meaning.
Whichever October stone you choose, I would be glad to help you find or design the right piece. Browse the current opal rings, or talk to me about a custom commission built around your stone.
