August birthstone
August birthstone: Peridot
Peridot is the stone of strength, good fortune and warding off nightmares. Here's its color, history, care and what to look for when you buy.
- Color
- Lime to olive green
- Hardness
- 6.5–7 Mohs
- Meaning
- strength, good fortune and warding off nightmares
- Found in
- Arizona (San Carlos), Pakistan, Myanmar, China and Vietnam
- Anniversary
- 16th
- Alternates
- spinel and sardonyx
- Birth flower
- Gladiolus and Poppy
Shop August birthstone jewelry
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Peridot colors
Lime to olive green. It is one of the few gems that only comes in one color.
History & meaning
Ancient Egyptians mined peridot on the Red Sea island of Zabargad and called it the "gem of the sun." Some of Cleopatra's "emeralds" may have been peridot. Tiny peridot crystals have been found in meteorites. August also has spinel, added in 2016, and sardonyx, the original August stone.
Caring for peridot
Medium hardness, so pendants and earrings hold up better than rings worn every day. Avoid acids and sudden heat.
What peridot costs
Affordable: good peridot is often $50–$100 per carat.
August birthstone jewelry
Necklaces, rings and bracelets in peridot, plus how to pick a setting that suits a 6.5–7-hardness stone.
Shop August jewelry ideasQuestions, answered
What is the August birthstone?
The August birthstone is Peridot. Alternate August birthstones are spinel and sardonyx.
What color is the August birthstone?
Lime to olive green. It is one of the few gems that only comes in one color.
What does peridot mean?
Peridot symbolizes strength, good fortune and warding off nightmares.
Is peridot good for everyday rings?
Peridot rates 6.5–7 on the Mohs hardness scale. Medium hardness, so pendants and earrings hold up better than rings worn every day. Avoid acids and sudden heat.
How much does peridot cost?
Affordable: good peridot is often $50–$100 per carat.
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