April Birthstone: Diamond, History, Alternatives and Care

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Diamond is the birthstone for April. What the lists say, what to know about natural, laboratory-grown and imitation diamonds, and which alternatives exist.

Key points

April birthstone	Diamond (in all modern lists)
Other stones in the lists	Sapphire (older list), rock crystal (British list)
Composition	Crystallised pure carbon
Mohs hardness	10, the highest on the scale
Weak point	Perfect cleavage: a blow at the wrong angle can chip it
Colours	Mostly colourless; yellow, brown, pink, blue or black in some cases
Related signs	Aries, Taurus (in the sign tradition)

The April birthstone at a glance

The birthstone for April is the diamond: it appears in the 1912 American list, the British list and the current American list. The so-called traditional list, which is older, also included sapphire, while the British list also offers rock crystal, a colourless quartz that is far more affordable.

List	Stones
So-called traditional list (15th to 20th century, depending on the authors)	Diamond, sapphire
1912 list of American jewellers	Diamond
British jewellers’ list (2013 version)	Diamond, rock crystal
Current American list	Diamond

A useful note: birthstone lists are customs, not rules. If a diamond suits neither your budget nor your values, there are some very beautiful alternatives, presented below.

Diamond: carbon under pressure

Diamond is pure carbon crystallised deep in the Earth’s mantle, under very high pressure and temperature, then brought to the surface by a particular kind of volcanic eruption (kimberlite pipes). It is the hardest stone there is (10 on the Mohs scale), but hard does not mean unbreakable: diamond has cleavage, meaning planes along which it can split under a well-placed blow.

Its name comes from the Greek adamas, “unconquerable”. India was the only source for a long time; then came Brazil in the 18th century and South Africa in the late 19th century. Today it is mined in Russia, Botswana, Canada, Africa and elsewhere.

To judge a diamond, professionals use the “four Cs”: carat weight, colour, clarity (inclusions) and cut. A certificate from a recognised gemmological laboratory describes these criteria.

Traditional symbolism

In tradition, diamond evokes purity, constancy and strength of spirit, because of its transparency and hardness. During the 20th century it became the symbol of the engagement ring, partly thanks to large advertising campaigns. In modern chakra systems, it is sometimes linked to the crown chakra.

These are cultural symbols, not measurable virtues. A diamond is above all a precious stone.

A little history of birthstones

The fashion for birthstones spread in English-speaking countries in the 19th century. In 1870, the New York jeweller Tiffany & Co. published a small booklet that paired each month with a stone and a short poem by an anonymous author. Many families discovered the idea through these verses. Forty-two years later, the 1912 list came to fix the choices for sales.

As for the diamond, it was one of the great absentees of Antiquity: it was rarely cut, because its hardness made it almost impossible for the ancients to polish. It was therefore not among the twelve stones of the biblical breastplate, and its place in April is a matter of modern lists and jewellery trade.

Alternatives to diamond for April

rock crystal, a colourless quartz, cited in the British list;
sapphire, in every colour, present in the older list;
colourless zircon, very brilliant, not to be confused with cubic zirconia;
white topaz, very clear.

We also speak of “laboratory” diamonds: these are real diamonds, of the same composition, but made in a laboratory. They are not imitations; they are synthetic stones, which the seller must declare as such.

Giving an April birthstone

A small diamond set in a pendant or as earrings is a classic gift, sometimes very affordable when the stone is small. If the budget is limited, rock crystal or a clear zircon gives a comparable effect. For someone who prefers an object, a raw rock crystal or a rock crystal sphere is a beautiful gift.

See our jewellery, pendants and gift ideas ranges.

Care, treatments and imitations

Cleaning. Diamond attracts grease. Let it soak for a few minutes in lukewarm water with a little washing-up liquid, brush gently with a soft brush, rinse, and dry with a soft cloth. Ultrasonic cleaning is possible for a sound diamond, but avoid it if the stone is cracked or “filled”.

Knocks and storage. Despite its hardness, a knock can chip it; it scratches all other stones. Store it separately.

Treatments. Diamonds may be irradiated and heated (fancy colours), heated under high pressure to lighten the colour, or filled (a substance fills fissures); dark inclusions may also be laser-drilled. These treatments must be disclosed.

Imitations. Moissanite (synthetic silicon carbide, hardness 9.25), cubic zirconia, colourless zircon, white sapphire, glass. Moissanite can be told apart by its double refraction and a certificate; a diamond is checked in a laboratory, not at home. See our guide to choosing and caring for your stones.