August Birthstone (Peridot, Spinel, sardonyx)

Origin of August Birthstone

Peridot: The August birthstone comes from China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam, and the US, some journeyed to earth on meteorite while others are found in exotic locations like Peridot Beach, Hawaii.

The Egyptian island of Zabargad is the oldest recorded source, mining may have begun around 340-279 BCE. The finest examples of this birthstone can be found in prestigious museums worldwide.

Myanmar is another important source of the peridot birthstone. On the northern slope of Kyaukpon, loose peridot crystals can sometimes be found in crevices. The finest-quality peridot from this locality has deep color and transparency.

Arizona is the main source of peridot in the United States, massive volcanic eruptions many thousands of years across the desert landscape of what is today the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. It has been mined via pallasite meteorites (made of nickel-iron and olivine). Thousands of meteorites have hit the earth, many of them olivine, but only a few have had gem-quality peridot.

Red spinel Origin: Red spinel was thought to be a remedy for all types of blood loss and inflammatory diseases. These gems were believed to ease anger and promote harmony. This august birthstone is given as a 22nd wedding anniversary gift.

Today spinel is found in Tajikstan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Tanzania. Some sources are known for producing hot pink and red spinel from Myanmar.

Sri Lanka is a Treasure Island of different gem species and varieties, with sapphire, ruby and garnet. Spinel is mined across the southern half of this country, colors including blue, pink and purple.

Myanmar’s Mogok Stone Tract is another prolific source for peridot and other gemstones like ruby, sapphire. Gems unearthed are so natural that locals call them “spirit polished.” The Luc Yen region in Vietnam has produced this August birthstone in deep red, pink, purple, violet, and violet-blue since the 1980s.

Sardonyx Origin: India is well-known for producing sardonyx with excellent contrast between the various coloured layers. It is also found in Brazil, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Madagascar, Uruguay, and the US among other locations.

August Birthstone: Meaning and History

Peridot Birthstone: Meaning and History:- Throughout history, peridot has been often confused with other gems such as topaz or emerald. The Red sea island of Topazios, the source of the name “topaz”, actually produced peridot. The Shrine of the Three Holy Kings in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral with 200 carats of gems are in fact the august birthstone peridot. There are even speculations that Cleopatra’s famous emerald collection may have been composed of peridot.

Peridot is derived from the Arabic word faridat, which means gem. It is valued in many ancient and medieval cultures. It was seen as priests’ jewelry as early as the second century BCE and later in the churches of medieval Europe. The peridot birthstone has been used for centuries as a protective talisman, shielding the wearer from evil spirits.

It is the gem given to celebrate the 16th wedding anniversary.

Spinel Birthstone: Meaning and History:- Spinel Birthstone The word “spinel” comes from the latin word spina, which means thorn, in reference to the spinel crystals. This second August birthstone is available in a variety of hues, including intense red, vibrant pink, orange, purple, violet, blue, and bluish green

For centuries, spinel was misguided for other gemstones. Some of the most famous “rubies” have actually turned out to be spinel. It was not until the 18th century that spinel was separated from ruby on the basis of their chemical differences. This historic red spinel is now set in the Imperial State Crown of the United Kingdom.

Sardonyx Birthstone: Meaning and History:- Sardonyx, the most ancient of the august birthstones, is a hybrid of two types of chalcedony: sard and onyx. Bands of brownish red to brown to dark orange sard alternative with white or black layers of onyx. In ancient times, sardonyx was a popular stone for Romans as hot wax would not stick to it. For centuries, the bands of color have made the august birthstone popular carving material for cameos and intaglios.

Sardonyx is one of the stones in the High Priest’s breastplate and represents the strength of spiritual life. Roman soldiers wore sardonyx rings for protection in battle. In modern times, it is associated with courage, happiness, and clear communication.

Benefits of August Birthstone

Benefits of Peridot:- Peridot is known to calm anxiety, improve health, and repel negative emotions. What else? Below are the benefits in details:

Peridot balances and heals the heart and emotions

1. It is the gem given to celebrate the 16th wedding anniversary.

2. It helps to accept the end of the cycle and welcome new beginnings in all aspects of life

3. It also helps in smooth transition during change and transformation

4. It helps to forgive one’s own self and acknowledge the blessings of the present, giving the will to positively move ahead.

5. Aids in healing negative emotions like anger, depression, regret, and urges to step out of the victim mode or self-pity.

6. It improves a person's overall health.

Spinel birthstone benefits

1. Spinel attracts wealth, prosperity and success - because spinel appears as an abundance stone by the royals.

2. It brings power, stamina and physical power and benefits wearers with bodily electricity and stamina.

3. It enhances the workout efforts and enables the body to channelize the energy.

4. This gemstone can be worn to enhance the fitness of gums, enamel, skin, and backbone.

Sardonyx benefits

Sardonyx is associated with courage, happiness, and clear communication. It has also been used as a stone of strength and protection since ancient times. You may use it to work with your earth star chakra - that connects closely to your personal energies. When you feel disconnected from your environment, this stone serves your connection to the divine and results in feelings of anxiety.

Price of August Birthstone

Peridot Value:- The peridot ranges from $50-$80 for the average size of 1 carat. The finest quality peridots are larger than 1 carat range steeper in price at $400-$450 USD.

Spinel Value:- Spinel usually sells for Rs 1,500 to Rs 50,000 per carat plus. The price is evaluated by its origin, color, clarity, cut, and carat weight.

Sardonyx Value:- The value of the stone’s carat relies on the quality and in color, cut, and clarity. Sardonyx stones under 10 carats are generally accessible and reasonably priced because of the stone's availability. However, the cut of the stone plays an important role in the price. Intricate sardonyx carvings increase the stone’s value.

Finally the stones exhibit the most vivid colors and patterns, with high contrast between light and dark color bands. Because of this, even though sardonyx is a reasonably common gemstone, its value has endured through the ages.

Care and Cleaning of August Birthstone

Peridot Care and Cleaning:- Warm, soapy water is the best method to clean any stone. Peridots are susceptible to scratches and thus need to be handled properly to avoid any unnecessary damage.

Spinel cleaning It is safe to clean spinel with warm soapy water and might be subjected to color-alternating heat treatment. You can also clean it with a cleanser

Sardonyx cleaning Clean the stone using warm soapy water and a soft brush. Avoid using chemicals while cleaning sardonyx beads or jewelry. You can also soak the stone in large grain kosher salt for about 24 hours. In case you don’t have kosher salt on hand, you can try cleaning it using a crystal cluster or by placing it in a flowing stream of clear water.