Find Your Birthstone by Chinese Zodiac Sign

The tradition of birthstones is very old and present in many cultures. But do you know how to find your birthstone? There actually are several charts to go by, including determining your birthstone by the day of the week or month you were born. And one of the most popular ways to find a gemstone that can help strengthen your energy is by your Chinese zodiac sign, which is based on your year of birth.

The Chinese New Year starts on a different day each year, and it's never on Jan. 1 like the Western calendar. Instead, it falls on the second new moon of the year. So if you were born in January or February, check where that date fell in your birth year, as your Chinese zodiac sign might be of the previous Western calendar year.

Once you have the day and month you were born, along with your Chinese zodiac sign, you can start learning about the birthstones associated with them. Let's say you were born on a Monday in January during the year of the Tiger. You'd be looking at six lucky gemstones: clear quartz, moonstone, and pearl (Monday); garnet and rose quartz (January); and sapphire (Tiger sign).

If you are not familiar with crystals and stones, the first step is to read a bit about each of your birthstones, view their photos, and decide which you feel most drawn to. Next, go to a crystal shop or jewelry store to see and experience your birthstones. You might fall in love with all of them, or you might decide to start with one gemstone that has the energetic properties you need at this time in your life. There's certainly no need to buy all of your birthstones at once, especially if you're only drawn to one or two.

But with so many charts to find your birthstone, should you give preference to one over another? The choice is entirely up to you. All of your birthstones are right for you to a certain extent, so pick whichever attracts you the most. You also can choose to combine multiple birthstones in jewelry or wear different stones on different days.

Here are the birthstones associated with a person's Chinese zodiac sign and birth year. Remember, those born in January and February might take the previous year's zodiac sign.