Quick answer
The October birthstone is actually two gems: opal, famous for its shifting flashes of color, and tourmaline, especially pink tourmaline. Both are on the modern US birthstone list. Opal is soft (5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale) and needs gentle care. Tourmaline is tougher at 7 to 7.5 and comes in almost every color.
October babies get the most colorful birthstones of the year. One gem holds a rainbow inside a single stone; the other comes in more shades than almost any gem on earth.
Here is where each stone comes from, what it means, how to care for it, and how to choose an October gift that will survive everyday life.
Key takeaways
- October has two birthstones: opal and tourmaline.
- Pink is October's signature color, thanks to pink tourmaline.
- Opal is delicate: no heat, no ultrasonic cleaners, no sudden temperature changes.
- For daily wear, pink or rainbow colored moissanite gives October colors on a much harder stone.
What is the October birthstone?
In 1912, the American National Association of Jewelers (now Jewelers of America) adopted the first official US birthstone list. October received opal, with tourmaline as an alternative. In 1952, the Jewelry Industry Council of America updated the list and named pink tourmaline for October.
Today, most US jewelers and GIA list both gems. You can pick either one, or both. Many people choose by style: opal for something dreamy and unique, tourmaline for a clear, bright color.
| Opal | Tourmaline | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Hydrated silica (contains water) | Complex boron silicate mineral group |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 5 to 6.5 | 7 to 7.5 |
| Signature look | Play-of-color: flashes of every hue | Clear color, from pink to green to blue |
| Main sources | Australia, then Ethiopia, Mexico, Brazil | Brazil, Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the US |
| Wedding anniversary | 14th | 8th |
| Everyday rings? | Best kept for gentle wear | Yes, with some care |
Sources: GIA October birthstone guide; hardness on the Mohs scale.
October birthstone color: which shades belong to October?
There is no single October color, and that is the fun of it. Opal can show every color of the rainbow at once, over a white, black or orange body. Tourmaline has one of the widest color ranges of any gem species, occurring in shades of virtually every hue.
Still, if you want one answer: pink. The 1952 list named pink tourmaline, and pink has been October's shorthand ever since. Multicolor, inspired by opal's play-of-color, is the second classic choice.
Opal meaning and history
The name is believed to come from the Sanskrit upala, “precious stone”, which became opalus in ancient Rome. The ancient Greeks believed opal gave the gift of prophecy and protection from disease. In Europe it long stood for purity, hope and truth.
Opal is made of tiny spheres of silica stacked in a grid. When light passes between them, it bends and breaks into spectral colors. That shimmer is called play-of-color, and no two opals show it the same way. Opal also holds water, usually 6% to 10% of its weight.
Australia supplies most of the world's precious opal, and opal is its national gemstone. Lightning Ridge in New South Wales is famous for black opal. Ethiopia, where the Welo deposits were found in 2008, is now the second major source.
Shopping for a real opal? Ask whether it is solid, a doublet (a thin slice of opal backed by dark material) or a triplet (a doublet with a clear quartz cap on top). Doublets and triplets cost less than solid opal and should be priced that way.
A myth worth dropping
Opal's “bad luck” reputation comes from a novel. In Walter Scott's Anne of Geierstein (1829), an opal seems to cause a character's death. Opal sales in Europe reportedly fell by half within a year. There was never more to it than fiction.
Tourmaline meaning and history
The name comes from the Sinhalese word toramalli, often translated as “stone with mixed colors”. Tourmaline has been mistaken for other gems for centuries: a Spanish conquistador who found green crystals in Brazil in the 1500s took them for emerald, and the famous “Caesar's Ruby” pendant in the Russian crown jewels is in fact red tourmaline.
Pink tourmaline has an American chapter too. Between 1902 and 1910, mines in San Diego County, California, sent 120 tons of pink and red tourmaline (rubellite) to Imperial China, where the Empress Dowager Cixi prized it.
Each color carries its own lore: pink for love and compassion, green for courage and strength, black for protection. Collectors also look for watermelon tourmaline (pink at the center, green at the rim) and neon-blue Paraíba tourmaline, colored by copper.
How to care for opal and tourmaline
Both October gems need more care than a diamond or a moissanite. Opal in particular dislikes heat and sudden changes in temperature, and it is soft enough to scratch against harder gems in a jewelry box.
| Care step | Opal | Tourmaline |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | Warm, soapy water only | Warm, soapy water and a soft brush |
| Ultrasonic or steam cleaner | Never | Not recommended |
| Heat | Avoid heat and sudden temperature changes | Avoid, heat can damage it |
| Storage | Separately, away from harder gems | In a soft pouch or lined box |
| Daily ring wear | Take it off for sports, dishes, gardening | Fine, with the same common sense |
Cleaning and heat guidance from GIA's October birthstone guide.
Colored moissanite asks for less. It is the same silicon carbide as white moissanite, at 9.25 on the Mohs scale, and cleans with warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Our jewelry care guide covers the metals.
October birthday gift ideas
A real opal is lovely in a pendant or earrings, where it takes fewer knocks. For a piece she can wear every day, including rings and bracelets, colored moissanite in October colors is the practical choice. To be clear, it is not opal or tourmaline: it is lab-grown moissanite in pink or mixed colors, with far more hardness and sparkle.
- For the romantic: the Pivoine pink tennis bracelet, pink moissanite in 3mm, 4mm or 5mm stones, in white, yellow or rose gold plating.
- For the opal lover: the Kaléidoscope rainbow bracelet, where every stone is a different color, set at random.
- For every day: the Opaline halo studs in pink, a 6.5mm (1 ct DEW) center framed by a CZ halo. Opaline is the name of the design; the center stone is colored moissanite.
- For a first birthstone piece: the Iris colored solitaire necklace in pink, on an 18in box chain.
October colors, made to last
Choosing a tennis bracelet for the first time? Read how to choose a moissanite tennis bracelet for sizing and clasp tips. Curious how moissanite differs from cheaper simulants? See moissanite vs cubic zirconia.
Shop October colors
Pink, rainbow and many more shades of colored moissanite in the Prisme collection, with free tracked shipping on every US order.
Shop PrismeFrequently asked questions
What are the two birthstones for October?
October's birthstones are opal and tourmaline. The first US list, adopted in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers, gave October opal with tourmaline as an alternative. A 1952 update named pink tourmaline. Today both gems are widely accepted, so you can choose whichever suits the person best.
What color is the October birthstone?
October has no single color. Opal shows flashes of every hue over a white, black or orange body, and tourmaline comes in virtually every color. If you want one shade to represent October, pink is the traditional choice, because pink tourmaline was named on the 1952 birthstone list.
Is opal bad luck?
No. The superstition traces back to Walter Scott's 1829 novel Anne of Geierstein, in which an opal is linked to a character's death. Opal sales in Europe reportedly dropped by half soon after. Before that, Europeans prized opal as a stone of hope, purity and truth, and the ancient Greeks tied it to prophecy.
Can you wear an opal ring every day?
You can, but it needs care. Opal rates only 5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, it contains water, and it can be harmed by heat and sudden temperature changes. Take it off for sports, cleaning and dishwashing. Pendants and earrings are safer settings for daily wear than rings.
Is colored moissanite an October birthstone?
No. Colored moissanite is not an official birthstone. It is a lab-grown gem that can match October's colors, pink or multicolor, while being far harder than opal (9.25 versus 5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale). It is a practical alternative for rings and bracelets worn every day.
Keep reading
Written by the Daellia Journal team, Paris. We write about moissanite, metals and the stories behind fine jewelry so you can buy with confidence. Read our moissanite guide or our story.
