10 Choices of Leo Birthstone

Leo has the biggest personality of the zodiac, and several birthstones for Leo people have been identified for centuries. These Leo birthstones act as charm of lucky stone for Leo, possibly even talisman, to keep the strength of the mighty Leo under better control and self-possession, as well as reinforce and bolster his spirit. Do you know the different lucky stones for Leo? Here is a list of Leo gemstones.

Onyx

Onyx is, not only the astrological birthstone for Leo, but also the month of July in the old Hebrew, Italian and Roman calendar. This Leo birthstone is a member of the chalcedony group of quartz minerals, and the name onyx used to refer to all chalcedony of various colors, until the Romans had the gemstone name applied solely to chalcedony of black and dark brown bands. The Leo stone onyx refers in particular to the black chalcedony, or chalcedony of black and white bands.

Black stones are believed to have immense metaphysical properties of old, and black onyx is deemed especially powerful, earning it the place as the gemstone for Leo. Leo people are powerful as they are, endowed with the strongest will among zodiac signs; but this abundance of energy may be wastefully spent, and the natural Leo exuberance overly exerted to no purpose. Ancient astrologers have identified a gemstone that would give Leo men and women more self-possession and self-control, and that the gemstone for Leo is the black onyx. This Leo gemstone is a grounding stone that gives the Leo personality effective control of his strength, keeping the mighty Leo effectively powerful. See also Black Onyx: Stone of Power.

Ruby

Onyx is the traditional Leo birthstone, not because black onyx represents the Leo zodiac sign, but because the dark, black onyx complements Leo personality, filling in the usual shortcoming of the exuberant Lion. What gemstone best represents the bright and mighty Leo?

Traditionally the birthstone for July in the old Russian, Polish, Tibetan, as well as the Ayurvedic or ancient Indian calendar, ruby held its place and in modern gemology remains the birthstone for July, covering much of the period in which the sun pulls a newborn baby toward the house of Leo. Ruby is specifically mentioned in Vedic astrology to be a Leo gemstone. In the contemporary Hindu calendar, ruby is also the birthstone for August, covering the rest of the period when Leo people are born.

Probably no Leo stone could represent the zodiac sign better. A brilliant red in color and second only to diamond in terms of hardness, the rare and precious ruby is symbolic of Leo personality: tough yet, not colorless like white diamond, but rich and vividly bright. The Leo stone is believed to boost courage and mental power.

Carnelian

Carnelian is the traditional birthstone for the month of July in the Arabic calendar, and the month of August in the old Hebrew, Italian and Roman calendars. Alongside ruby, carnelian has also been designated as the modern July birthstone in Britain. Like onyx, carnelian is a variety of chalcedony; but unlike onyx — and rather similar to ruby — carnelian is also red, communicating the exuberance of the Leo sign as much. This red Leo birthstone is translucent, and where its clarity is too cloudy as to be nearly opaque, the Leo stone would always be translucent around the edges. The lucky stone for Leo is believed to fuel passion and desire. See also Carnelian: Stone of Passion.

Sardonyx

Alongside ruby, sardonyx is the traditional birthstone for July in the old Russian calendar, and for the month of August in the Arabic, Polish and Gregorian calendar. This Leo birthstone remains the August birthstone in modern US gemology along with peridot. Sardonyx is a great compromise between modern and traditional gemstones for Leo, because sardonyx is a banded chalcedony composed of bands of onyx and stripes of sard. The modern August birthstone, sard (carnelian), and the traditional Leo stone, onyx, are rolled into one birthstone: the sardonyx.

Known to have been worn by Roman soldiers to keep themselves brave in battle, the Leo gemstone is a stone of courage, which is Leo’s finest virtue. See also Sardonyx: Stone of Valor.

Gold

While most of us are disposed to think of gold as a metal, not stone, gold is a naturally occurring element in nature. And gold has often been identified with Leo people, to the point that gold has been designated as Leo’s lucky metal — which is fitting. Gold illustrates the flamboyance of Leo men and women, who are likely to adorn themselves in the bright and brilliant metal.

Tiger’s Eye

Hindu astrology has a different set of lucky stones for Leo. Onyx is designated as birthstone, not in Hindu astrology, but in Western astrology, which is Greek and Babylonian in origin. In Indian astrology, tiger’s eye is a gemstone for Leo. Chemistry-wise, this rather makes sense, since tiger’s eye is quartz stone like onyx, and only differs from the latter mainly with its color, which is yellow with iridescent luster, also known as chatoyancy. This Leo birthstone is representative of the zodiac sign, in that the Leo gemstone is believed to boost courage and inner strength, helping Leo people to transform their ideas into reality. See also Tiger Eye: Stone of Courage.

Citrine

Another variety of quartz, citrine is also a Leo birthstone in Hindu astrology. Like tiger’s eye, this birthstone for Leo takes on Leo’s lucky color, yellow, the brightest symbol of optimism, which Leos have in plenty. Citrine is the name for yellow quartz, and is a very rare gem. The lucky stone for Leo is believed to boost optimism, courage and personal clarity.

Rock Crystal

Here comes the broad, big umbrella term, also from Hindu astrology. Come to think of it, while we’re talking about Leo gemstones, we’ve been dealing mostly with quartz. Onyx is quartz; carnelian or sard is quartz; sardonyx, citrine and tiger’s eye are quartz. The name quartz comes from the West Slavic word for “hard.”

When quartz is pure, free from coloring intrusion, the stone is called clear or white quartz. Also known as rock crystal, colorless quartz is especially associated with Leo through the zodiac sign’s ruling planet, the sun. Ancient beliefs held rock crystals to be the sun’s planetary stone, and therefore Leo birthstone. This gemstone for Leo is believed to bring happiness. See also Rock Crystal: Stone of Clairvoyance.

Tourmaline

Tourmaline is a gemstone little known to be a Leo birthstone. Tourmalines come in virtually all colors, but the varieties most popularly mentioned as Leo stone are the pink and green tourmaline. This birthstone for Leo is believed to strengthen the body and spirit, as well as stimulate creativity, wherefore it was worn by many artists and writers.

Diamond

Diamond, the hardest of minerals, is made into talismanic stone for Leo. Talismans are amulets or other pieces of jewelry believed to hold magical powers. Leo talismans are engraved on diamond and worn by the Leo person. This Leo birthstone is believed to enhance good luck, and was thought to bring victory in war, wherefore royalty wore the Leo gemstone in their vests to keep themselves from being slain in battle. See —

More Leo Birthstones

In an extensive research, I discovered 3 Leo gemstones that are not listed on this page. All 3 were assigned to Leo’s ruling planet.

Get to know more Leo stones, as well as the magical powers of all birthstones, when you read my book Power Birthstone.

See Leo in Action

Curious about Leo and other zodiac signs? An enjoyable way to understand the different signs is to see how they behave, interact or fight in a narrative. Deomar Pandan is writing a novel whose character profiles are based on astrology’s zodiac signs.

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