August Birthstones

There are several possible birthstone choices for the month
of August:   peridot, carnelian,
sardonyx,  diamond, or sapphire – the
choice depends on which “birthstone list” you are reading!   Personally, I really like all of the
possible choices, so let me tell you a little bit about each one, then you can
decide which you like the best. 

Peridot is an ancient gemstone with a rich bright yellow
green color.    It’s a fairly hard stone.  Peridot is thought to attract love and to
soothe the nerves.

Carnelian is another ancient stone – known and used since
Biblical times.   Carnelian is a form of
chalcedony.  The red color comes from
iron impurities.   Carnelian is thought
to increase energy and to protect the wearer from evil.

Sardonyx is a banded stone known from ancient times and
occuring in either red/white or black/white. 

Sapphire – Blue sapphire is the most popular color, but
sapphires occur in a wide range of colors from colorless to pink, also purple ,
yellow, orange, brown, and even green.

Diamond is the hardest of known stones and the rarest.  diamonds are available in a wide assortment
of colors and colored diamonds are very popular right now.  Diamond is thought to encourage hope and to
promote healing.