August

 “Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August.” – Denise Levertov

Those fortunate enough to be born in August are able to choose between light green peridot and rich spinel as their birthstones. How lovely!

First, let's cover the more widely-known Peridot 

As August is the hottest month of year, it is only fitting that the birthstone is one created under extreme conditions. Peridot has been found in meteorites and volcanic lava. It is the only stone not found in the earth's crust, but is instead pushed to the surface from the upper mantle via volcanic eruptions. 
 
Ancient Egyptians worshipped the stone believing it fell from the sky (and technically, they were right!), which is where peridot finds its identity as the “gem of the sun.” Today it is still held in high regard and is the national gem for Egypt. 
 
Peridot is also largely found in Hawaii, where the native peoples believe it to be the tears of the volcanic goddess, Pele. There's even a Peridot Beach with sand made of... you guessed it, peridot! 
 
Its bright green color is synonymous with good health and harmony. It is also known as the gem of compassion, and is believed to promote restful sleep and dispel anger.
Lastly, it is the traditional commemoration stone for a 15th wedding anniversary. 

 

Now, on to Spinel

Spinel comes in a variety of colors, including orange, pink, purple, and the particularly unusual black. Black spinel has become recently trendy for its unique color and resemblance to black diamonds, and that happens to be the color we use here!

There isn't much mythology about spinel because throughout history it has often been mistaken for ruby. In fact, it wasn't named a birthstone until 2016. I think that makes this stone all the more interesting- maybe we could come up with our own myths about its beauty and power! 

This gem is associated with calmness and empowerment, and is believed to bring feelings of positivity to the wearer- a great combatant for those end-of-summer blues! It is also believed to inspire a sense of relaxation for those who have trouble unwinding. 

Spinel is also the commemoration stone for 22nd wedding anniversary

Back to Birthstones

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