What Is the April Birthstone? A Complete Guide to Diamond
- Lee Molseed
- 10 hours ago
- 11 min read
The April birthstone is diamond - a versatile and stunning stone associated with grandeur, glitz and glamour. If you have searched "what is the April birthstone", the clear modern answer is diamond: a gemstone prized for brilliance, exceptional hardness and a long-standing association with love, durability and celebration.
At West Country Goldsmiths in Plymouth, we help customers choose diamond jewellery for birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, remodelling projects and bespoke commissions. You can also view our collection of hand-finished pieces of diamond jewellery.
Below, we explain why diamond is April’s birthstone, how to judge quality, and what to look for before you buy.
April’s official birthstone is diamond.
In the UK, diamond is the recognised primary birthstone for April.
Diamonds rank 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, making them the hardest natural material.
Diamonds are valued for cut, colour, clarity and carat weight, sometimes referred to as the 4Cs.
White topaz may be mentioned as an alternative, but it is not the primary official answer.
What Is the Birthstone for April?
The birthstone for April is diamond. Diamond is a crystal made of carbon formed under intense heat and pressure deep within the Earth. It ranks 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, which helps explain why it is so strongly associated with durability in jewellery. In practice, that makes diamond especially suitable for rings, earrings and pendants intended for regular wear.
Why Is Diamond the April Birthstone?
Diamond became associated with April through modern birthstone lists and its long reputation as a symbol of strength, clarity and enduring affection. Its bright appearance and toughness make it a natural fit for a month often linked with new beginnings and milestone gifts.
Older folklore attached all sorts of protective or healing claims to diamonds, but we treat those as historical beliefs rather than facts. From a workshop perspective, the real appeal is simpler: diamond is beautiful, durable and versatile enough for everyday jewellery.
But why did April win the gemstone lottery?
The name "April" likely derives from the Latin word aperire, meaning "to open," referring to flowers blooming and the earth "opening" up for spring.
Clarity: Diamonds are prized for their purity and transparency, mirroring the "clear" skies and fresh start of the spring season.
Strength: The word "diamond" comes from the Greek adamas, meaning invincible or unbreakable. This ties into the theme of enduring life returning after a harsh winter.
Diamond Meaning, Symbolism and Folklore
Diamonds are widely associated with lasting love, resilience, purity, clarity and permanence. That symbolism helps explain why they are so strongly linked with engagement rings, anniversary gifts and heirloom pieces intended to be worn for decades.
Historically, diamonds were also believed to offer protection and courage. While we approach gemstones from a craftsmanship point of view rather than a mystical one, those older stories remain part of why diamond jewellery still feels significant.
For many customers, the appeal of diamond is that it combines sentiment with practicality: it is meaningful, wearable and timeless.
How the 4Cs Help You Choose a Good Diamond
If you are choosing April birthstone jewellery, the 4Cs offer the clearest framework for comparing diamonds. The best choice is usually the one that gives the strongest overall appearance for your budget, not simply the biggest carat number.
Start with cut, because brilliance and balance matter more than size alone.
Check colour and decide whether you want an icy white look or are comfortable with a warmer tone, especially in yellow gold.
Review clarity realistically, focusing on what is visible to the eye rather than microscopic grading alone.
Compare carat weight with spread, because a well-cut stone can appear larger and brighter.
Match the diamond to the setting, as claws, bezels and halo designs can all change how the stone looks and wears.
In our Plymouth workshop, we always recommend judging diamonds in person where possible. Lighting, finger coverage and setting style can all change how a stone is perceived.
April Birthstone Colour, Symbolism and Alternatives
When people ask "what is my birth colour in April?", they are usually referring to the classic white or clear appearance associated with diamond. In reality, diamonds also occur in yellow, champagne, pink, blue and other fancy colours, but the traditional April birthstone look is bright and colourless. View the diamond jewellery collection here.
Traditional April birthstone colour: clear to near-colourless white.
Common symbolism: lasting love, resilience, clarity and celebration.
Fancy colour diamonds exist, but they are not the standard answer to most April birthstone searches.
White topaz is sometimes used as a budget-friendly alternative.
Moissanite may also appeal to shoppers who want sparkle without choosing a diamond.
If your priority is the official birthstone, choose diamond. If your priority is budget, style or a different type of sparkle, an alternative may still suit the jewellery piece, but it does not replace diamond as April’s recognised birthstone.
Are There Two Birthstones for April?
Traditionally, April is centred on one primary birthstone: diamond. You may sometimes see white topaz mentioned online as a substitute or affordable alternative, but that does not make April a month with two equally official birthstones in the way some other months are presented.
Is April Topaz or Diamond?
April is diamond, not topaz. The confusion usually comes from white topaz being marketed as a similar-looking option for shoppers who want a lower price point.
Choosing April Birthstone Jewellery in Plymouth, Devon
This is where local relevance matters. In our Plymouth workshop and showroom, you can compare diamond shapes, discuss settings and decide whether you want a ready-to-wear piece or something bespoke. Our face-to-face process is especially useful for an April birthstone gift because the right diamond often depends on taste, lifestyle and budget rather than one universal formula. Book a jewellery consultation to chat to us about your needs.
We also help customers redesign inherited jewellery or use existing precious metal towards a new commission.
Diamond rings for milestone birthdays, anniversaries and engagement-style gifts.
Diamond earrings for everyday wear with lower impact risk than rings.
Diamond pendants for a simple birthstone gift with year-round versatility.
Remodelled heirloom jewellery for families who want to reuse sentimental gold or older stones.
If you have unworn gold that could contribute towards a new diamond piece, our guide to selling gold in Plymouth is a useful next step. We can often offer a better price for your gold if it is being used against the value of a new piece.
Related Birthstone Guides and Jewellery Collections
If you are shopping beyond April, these related West Country Goldsmiths pages are worth exploring.
Each month has an assigned gemstone. We recently created a guide for aquamarine, representing March in the modern birthstone calendar. You can also visit our collections available in our online store: March (aquamarine), May (emerald), September (sapphire), October (opal) and November (topaz) birthstones. We are continuing to add to our online collections, and aim to have all 12 by this time next year.
How to Care for Diamond Jewellery
Although diamond ranks 10 on the Mohs scale and resists scratching exceptionally well, diamond jewellery is not indestructible. Stones can still chip if struck at the wrong angle, and settings can loosen over time. Regular care protects both the gem and the piece holding it.
Clean with warm water, mild soap and a soft brush.
Remove rings for heavy manual work, gym sessions and DIY.
Store pieces separately so metal and stones do not rub together.
Have claws, settings and clasps checked periodically by a jeweller.
Be cautious with ultrasonic cleaning if the jewellery contains other gemstones or older settings.
If you are local to Plymouth, we can inspect and professionally clean diamond jewellery in our workshop as part of routine aftercare. You can either take a look at our online products for jewellery cleaning, or if that does not quite cover your needs, please book a full jewellery consultation and we will be happy to help:
Frequently Asked Questions About the April Birthstone
What is the real birthstone for April in the UK?
The real and recognised birthstone for April is diamond. That is the standard modern answer used in UK and international birthstone guides.
What is April’s crystal?
If someone says "April’s crystal", they are usually referring to diamond. In crystal-focused content you may also see white topaz or clear quartz discussed, but diamond remains the recognised birthstone.
What is a poor man’s diamond?
That phrase is informal rather than technical. It has been used for cubic zirconia, white sapphire and other lookalikes. In modern jewellery conversations, moissanite is often the most serious diamond alternative, but it is not the April birthstone.
What is my birth colour in April?
April is most often associated with white or clear tones because diamond is usually imagined as colourless. Some people also connect April with bright spring colours, but that is symbolic rather than official.
What is an April Aries birthstone?
For someone born in April under Aries, diamond is still the relevant birthstone by month. Some zodiac-based lists mention other gems, but those are separate traditions.
What is an April Taurus birthstone?
If the birthday falls in April, the month’s birthstone remains diamond. Taurus-specific lists sometimes suggest additional gems, but they do not replace April’s main birthstone.
Is April’s birthstone the most expensive?
Not automatically. Some diamonds are extremely valuable, but price depends on quality, rarity and demand. Other gems, especially very rare examples of stones such as alexandrite or ruby, can also be exceptionally expensive.
What are the 12 birthstones by month?
The commonly used modern list is: January garnet, February amethyst, March aquamarine, April diamond, May emerald, June pearl, July ruby, August peridot, September sapphire, October opal, November topaz and December turquoise.
What Makes Diamonds So Valuable?
Diamonds are valuable because quality varies significantly from stone to stone. The main factors are cut, colour, clarity and carat weight, but the most important thing in real life is how the diamond actually looks once it is in front of you.
A diamond with better cut proportions can appear brighter, livelier and sometimes even larger than a heavier stone with weaker proportions. That is why two diamonds with the same carat weight can look very different in person.
When jewellers talk about a diamond having “life”, they mean the overall brightness, sparkle and energy of the stone. A well-cut diamond reflects light efficiently, while a poorly cut one can look dull even if the paper grades sound impressive. You may have also seen the use of the words brilliance, radiance, vibrancy and fire. These terms are all commonly used to collectively mean the technical term 'life'.
What are the 4Cs of diamonds?
If you are choosing April birthstone jewellery, the 4Cs give you the clearest framework for comparing diamonds:
Cut: how well the diamond handles light
Colour: how white or warm the diamond appears
Clarity: the amount and visibility of internal features
Carat: the weight of the diamond
For most customers, cut matters first because it has the biggest impact on sparkle and overall appearance. After that, the right balance of colour, clarity and carat depends on budget, setting style and personal taste.
What Is the Best Colour Grade for a White Diamond?
The highest colour grade for a white diamond is D, at the top of the colourless range. However, the best choice for most buyers is not always D.
The colour scale runs from D to Z. D, E and F are colourless, while G to J are near-colourless. In many high street jewellers, you will often see diamonds in the G to I range because they still look bright and white once set, while offering better value than the very top grades.
For many customers, F or G is the sweet spot. You still get a crisp white appearance, but without paying the full premium attached to D or E.
What Is the Best Clarity Grade for a Diamond?
The highest clarity grade is Flawless, meaning no inclusions or blemishes are visible under 10x magnification.
Internally Flawless means no inclusions are visible under 10x, though tiny surface blemishes may still be present.
These top grades are rare and usually expensive. In practical jewellery buying, they are not always the most sensible option.
For many customers, VS1 or VS2 offers the best balance of appearance and value. These grades often look clean to the naked eye, without the large premium attached to Flawless or Internally Flawless stones.
What Do VVS, VS and SI Mean in Diamond Grading?
These terms describe how visible a diamond’s internal features are under magnification:
VVS (Very Very Slightly Included): inclusions are extremely difficult to see, even for a skilled grader under 10x magnification
VS (Very Slightly Included): minor inclusions that are difficult to somewhat easy for a trained grader to find under 10x magnification
SI (Slightly Included): inclusions are easier to see under 10x magnification and may sometimes be visible to the naked eye
In practical terms, VVS stones look exceptional but often cost more than most buyers need to spend, VS grades are often the best value for a high-quality white diamond, and SI stones can work well if the inclusions are not obvious in normal wear.
What diamond size should I choose?
This is usually a more useful question than simply asking what carat diamond to get. Carat refers to weight, not just face-up size, so two diamonds with the same carat weight can look different depending on cut proportions and shape.
One carat has strong emotional appeal, especially for engagement rings, because it is a clean milestone number. That popularity can affect pricing. In some cases, a diamond just under or just over that threshold, such as 0.90 to 0.99 carat or around 1.10 carat, can offer better value depending on the stone.
Rather than chasing a round number alone, we would usually suggest looking at overall appearance on the hand, cut quality, setting style and budget. A well-cut diamond that faces up beautifully often feels like the better choice than a heavier stone chosen only for the certificate.
What cut of diamond should I choose?
When jewellers talk about cut, they mean how well the diamond’s proportions and facet arrangement handle light, not just its outline.
A well-cut diamond looks brighter, sharper and more lively. A poorly cut diamond can appear dull even if the colour and clarity grades are high.
If maximum sparkle is the priority, round brilliant is often the safest choice. If finger coverage, individuality or a more elongated look matters more, shapes such as oval or pear can be excellent alternatives.
What is the difference between diamond cut and diamond shape?
Cut is different from shape. Shape means round, oval, pear, emerald cut, cushion and so on.
Cut is about performance; shape is about style. For many buyers, round brilliant remains the benchmark for sparkle, while oval, cushion and emerald cuts each offer a different character on the hand. Recently oval diamonds have been a popular choice, which tends to offer better value because the stone can look much bigger for a comparable carat weight.
We are also seeing a move toward personality over tradition. While Round and Oval diamonds remain popular, the Elongated Cushion and Marquise are the standout choices for those wanting something unique. We’re also seeing a massive rise in Bezel settings and East-West orientations, proving that how you set the stone is becoming just as important as the shape itself.
What is a certified diamond?
A certified diamond usually means a diamond sold with an independent grading report from a recognised laboratory.
That report records the stone’s key characteristics, such as colour, clarity, cut and carat weight, so the buyer has an objective description of what they are purchasing.
In the UK market, GIA and IGI are two of the best-known names customers will encounter. A grading report is best thought of as an expert lab opinion based on that organisation’s grading standards, not as a magical guarantee of beauty. That is one reason reputation matters, and why reports from the main labs carry more trust in the trade.
In practical terms, certification helps customers compare diamonds more confidently and makes it easier to understand whether a stone is likely to match the quality they believe they are paying for.
At West Country Goldsmiths, we have a selection of GIA certified diamond jewellery, and we'd be happy to talk through all aspects of the certificates with you.
How do you choose the right diamond gift?
Start with how the jewellery will be worn, then match the style and budget to the setting and stone quality.
For practical advice and in-person comparison, it helps to view options with a jeweller rather than choosing from specifications alone. Here is an example of the diamond tennis bracelets we have available, and even though they are a similar style and design, the carat weight of the diamonds determines the overall value.
Arrange an April birthstone appointment at our Plymouth workshop
Whether you are buying an April birthday gift, redesigning inherited jewellery or choosing a diamond for yourself, we are always happy to offer straightforward advice from our Plymouth workshop.
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