August is the Last Full Month of Summer
August heralds the coming of Autumn. August is a month that claims multiple birthstones: Peridot, Sardonyx and Spinel. Peridot, with it’s signature lime green color, is believed to instill power and influence in the wearer. Spinel is available in a brilliant range of colors and is believed to protect the owner from harm and soothe away sadness. Peridot is one of the few gemstones that exists in only one color: a distinctive signature lime green although the color can vary from yellow green to olive green to brownish.
A gift of peridot is said to bring the wearer magical powers and it’s thought to possess healing properties. It is also said to instill power and influence through wearing the gemstone. Most peridot comes from Arizona but it’s also found in China, Myanmar, and Pakistan. Peridot, also known as olivine, is a reasonably hard stone that measures 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale and it is available in colors ranging from yellowish green to brown. The bright lime greens and olive greens are the most popular. If you prefer citrus tones or earth tones, peridot is a stone that belongs in your jewelry collection.
Spinel is an alternate birthstone for August. The most popular color is “ruby red.” Some ancient Sanskrit writings referred to Spinel as the “daughter of ruby”. The bright red color of Spinel often caused the two stones to be confused with one another in the past. Actually spinels are more rare than ruby and can sometimes can be found in very large sizes. Spinel can be found in shades of orange and a variety of blues as well as purple and black. There’s also a vivid hot pink that’s mined in Myanmar – it’s a spectacular gemstone color – unlike any other gem. Spinel is believed to protect the owner from harm, but its true appeal is the range of rich, brilliant colors and its affordability.
Sardonyx comes from the Greek words sard (reddish brown) and onux (fingernail) and is a mixture of the two materials. Sardonyx is a type of striped chalcedony, although the bands can vary in intensity. Sardonyx is thought to have strong psychic energy and it has long been employed as a talisman: in ancient Egypt it was used as protection against evil spirits. At one time people thought that sardonyx would make the wearer brave and daring. In ancient Rome, sardonyx was used for seals because it doesn’t stick to the wax. Roman soldiers wore sardonyx engraved with Mars (the God of War), believing the stone would bring courage, fearlessness, and victory. Today some believe that it brings success, honor, courage, protection, and financial rewards. Sardonyx is found in Brazil, India, Germany, Uruguay, Russia and the United States. The most sought after sardonyx is found in India.