August Birthstone – Peridot

Those born under Peridot may bewitch others!

Peridot is the birthstone for August and the 15th anniversary gemstone.  This gemstone is said to represent beauty, mystery, passion, and even enchantment. It can also equal forward thinking, channeling both justice and power. It was believed to be a stone of springtime by ancients who considered it a gift from Mother Nature. 

Since ancient times, Peridot was said as the symbol of the sun. The Greeks believed that it brought royal dignity upon its wearer and is said to have been first mentioned in the will of a bishop.

Peridot has been known to have healing effect on the gall bladder and liver. It is a protector against negative emotions when used in a necklace. Some believed that it protected its owner from “terrors of the night,” especially when it was set in gold. Others strung the gems on donkey hair and tied them around their left arms to ward off evil spirits.

This 146.10-carat peridot is in the collection of the Natural History Museum in London

Most peridot formed deep inside the earth and was delivered to the surface by volcanoes. Some also came to earth in meteorites, but this extraterrestrial Peridot is extremely rare, and not likely to be seen in a retail jewelry store.

Peridot is a gem variety from the olivine mineral group. The bottle green color is called Peridot. Yellowish green is chrysolite. Olive green is olivine. Sources of Peridot include: St. John's Island (Egypt), United States (Arizona and Hawaii), Myanmar, Burma, Australia, Norway, South Africa and Brazil.

Some of the finest Peridot stones are called “evening emeralds” because they appear greener under artificial light.