Peridot, the August birthstone, is a gorgeous bright green gemstone that captures the imagination.
Legend has it that Peridot wards off evil and nightmares. It’s believed to carry the gift of inner radiance, sharpening the mind and opening it to new levels of awareness and growth, helping one to recognize and realize one’s destiny and spiritual purpose.
The modern August birthstone Peridot has been prized as a jewelry stone since ancient times and has been used for thousands of years to create beautiful beads, necklaces and faceted stones for rings.
Always green in color but with considerable variations, a Peridot’s particular shade depends on its source. Peridot is a 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, which is fairly hard. It can be chipped or scratched on impact with a hard object but is fine if protected, as in a bezel setting, which makes it a good stone for a ring.
What Is A Birthstone?
Traditionally, a birthstone is associated with each month of the year. For example, the birthstone for August is a Peridot. The origin of birthstones is believed to date back to the breastplate of Aaron which contained twelve gemstones representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The idea of birthstones has a place in many traditions, customs, and belief systems.
How Many Birthstones Does August Have?
In 2016, August joined June and December as one of the three birth months represented by three different gemstones.
The original birthstone for August was Sardonyx, and then Peridot was added, becoming August’s primary gemstone. The addition of Spinel, which can be found in a variety of colors, gives August babies a plethora of options!
How Do You Pronounce the August Birthstone?
Peridot, pronounced Per-Ih-Doe (the T is silent) is actually from a parent stone called Olivine, which is a silicate of Iron and Magnesium.
Peridot is found in multiple places, both exotic and familiar all over the world. Places like: Zabargad, Zebirget, Finland, Pakistan, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Queensland, Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Kenya, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the USA.
It’s actually produced from volcanic rocks and lava flows called basalts (which is why peridot is the diamond of Hawaii).
Why Is Peridot The August Birthstone?
Leo is the fifth astrological sign on the zodiac wheel, those who are born between July 23 and Aug 23 fall under this sign. Leo is known to be a very energetic sign ruled by the sun and fire as its element. Peridot is known to be the principal birthstone for Leo as the sun rules over this particular stone as well.
What Color Is The August Birthstone?
Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color: an olive green The intensity and tint of the green, however, depends on the percentage of iron in the crystal structure, so the color of individual Peridot gems can vary from yellow, to olive, to brownish-green.
Who Can Wear Peridot Stone?
Peridot’s is a gorgeous bright green gemstone which captures the imagination, and is perfectly suited for Peridot earrings, pendants, and rings, it is often times substituted for Emerald which makes it ideal for anyone to wear and admire, and is a perfect addition to anyone’s jewelry box.
Which Finger Should Peridot Be Worn?
Peridot gives the best results in the little finger also referred to as the pinkie finger by some individuals. The mount of mercury is just below the little finger. Many a time this stone is also worn as a substitute for emerald which makes peridot perfect for the ring finger too.
Is The August Birthstone A Mineral?
Peridot is gem quality olivine of which peridot is a type, is a common mineral in mafic and ultramafic rocks, often found in lava and in peridotite xenoliths of the mantle, which lava carries to the surface; however, gem-quality peridot occurs in only a fraction of these settings. Peridots can also be found in meteorites.
Is Peridot An Expensive Stone?
Peridot ranges in price from about $50–80/ct. for well-cut gems in the 1–2 ct. size, up to as much as $400–450 ct. for large fine gems of top color. Pure green stones are rare, and most of the finest color comes from Myanmar and Pakistan.
Are Peridots Rare?
Larger peridot stones tend to maintain their deep green coloring better than smaller stones. However, the larger the peridot stone, the more expensive it becomes. It’s easy to find smaller peridot stones in places like Arizona and China, but the larger sizes are much more scarce globally, thus impacting the market overall.
Conclusion:
The glorious yellow-green Peridot has been under-appreciated for years, overlooked as a lesser gem, small, easily obtained and relatively inexpensive, often considered as simply the birthstone for August. Its popularity has fallen in and out of vogue for centuries. However, a new resurgence is bringing to light what Peridot lovers have always known: this is a truly remarkable stone.
Called “the extreme gem” by the Gemological Institute of America, Peridot is born of fire and brought to light, one of only two gems (Diamond is the other) formed not in the Earth’s crust, but in molten rock of the upper mantle and brought to the surface by the tremendous forces of earthquakes and volcanoes. While these Peridots are born of Earth, other crystals of Peridot have extraterrestrial origins, found in rare pallasite meteorites (only 61 known to date) formed some 4.5 billion years ago, remnants of our solar system’s birth. Peridot in its basic form, Olivine, was also found in comet dust brought back from the Stardust robotic space probe in 2006, has been discovered on the moon, and detected by instrument on Mars by NASA’s Global Surveyor. Ancients believed, quite accurately, that Peridot was ejected to Earth by a sun’s explosion and carries its healing power.
At Joseph’s Jewelry, we carry the largest selection of fine gold and diamond jewelry near you on the Treasure Coast, including jewelry for men. You’ll find exactly what you’re looking for without having to drive around Stuart, Hobe Sound, Palm City, Jensen Beach, or Port St. Lucie for fine jewelry. Our professional jewelers will help you find the perfect gift every time you visit us nearby. You just don’t get that with an online jewelry store.