Peridot Birthstone Jewelry: Everything to Know About August's Birthstone

The apple-green hue of the peridot is striking. Although it's not often worn daily, this gem has long been treasured. Those with August birthdays will recognize the peridot as their birthstone. Here's what you should know about the history and meaning behind this gem if you're looking for August birthstone jewelry. We'll cover tons of gift ideas and the history of peridot.

What is the August Birthstone?

The August birthstone is most widely recognized as the green peridot. The traditional birthstone of this month was the sardonyx, and the spinel was recently added to the list of August birthstones. However, if you're looking for the August birthstone that most people will know, the peridot is the best route. 

Peridot Gifts For Her

At Alexis Jae, all of our jewelry is entirely customizable. We can add peridot gemstones to any piece. Here are the pieces we'd recommend adding peridot to for the perfect jewelry gift.

August Birthday Gifts For Her

Are you attempting to brainstorm birthday gifts for someone special in your life? Why not consider tasteful jewelry that incorporates their birth month stone? Here are a few choice gifts that you can customize to their taste. Any jewelry showcasing their birthstone automatically indicates a touch of personalization.

Peridot Bangle Bracelet

The birthstone bangle is a tasteful way to add flair to your existing accessories. Its dainty design makes it perfect for daily wear. It's ideal for someone with an August birthday who wants to showcase their green-apple birthstone but wants to do it subtly. It's also great for stacking if the recipient already wears a few bracelets regularly! This bangle is our best seller for peridot gifts.

Shop the peridot bangle here.

Green Peridot Ring

We all know someone who wears rings on rings on rings. Their fingers can never have enough stacks. The round ring has an ultra-thin band that makes it easy to stack with existing rings. You can stack it with your children's birthstones, too. This makes it the perfect addition to whatever the birthday girl already wears. It is the ultimate birthstone ring.

Shop the ring here.

Peridot Earring Studs

Peridot stud earrings are a beautiful addition to any jewelry collection. There is no feeling like opening up a beautiful pair of stud earrings on your birthday. Peridot stud earrings compliment any ear stack or can be worn alone. Add some chain to make peridot drop earrings.

Shop gemstone stud earrings here.

August Birthstone Push Present 

Push presents — a gift given to a mother after birth — have become popular in the past several years. If you're expecting a baby in August, consider gifting the new mom something with her baby's birthstone. A birthstone theme for push presents can be a neat way to represent the children you share. Consider a bracelet with the baby's initial like the one below.

Peridot Tennis Bracelet

A peridot tennis bracelet is right on trend. It's the perfect gift for a new mother who wants something beautiful to remember the birth of her child. Alexis Jae allows you to customize the stone used with this bracelet, which means you can feature peridot to represent the month of August. You can also add initials and shapes to the bracelet. Some people choose their child's first, middle, and last initials, while others prefer to feature the first initial of mom, dad, and baby. It's up to you!

See our initial bracelet here.

Peridot Wedding Anniversary

The peridot is traditionally given on the 16th wedding anniversary. However, you can also gift the gem at any point if your anniversary is in August. The stone can serve as a beautiful symbol of your love and the month it began. Here are a few pieces that you may like to incorporate peridot into.

Peridot Station Bracelet

A peridot bracelet is a timeless way to say, "I Love You." Whether celebrating anniversary #16 or celebrating another year with your sweetheart in August, this bracelet allows you to gift something unique to your love. Customize it with as many peridot gemstones as you'd like!

Shop the bracelet here.

Solitaire Peridot Necklace

You can't go wrong with a pendant necklace. A birthstone necklace can be made in rose gold, yellow gold, or white gold to fit the wearer's style. A simple solitaire peridot is timeless and classic. Our solitaire necklaces can be made as any birthstone pendant. You can't go wrong with a peridot pendant. Instead of a round peridot, you can even choose a heart pendant.

Shop the gold necklace here.

History of the Peridot

Peridot is becoming a centerpiece of fashion-forward pieces. However, it's been part of recorded history for over 4,000 years. The Ancient Egyptians adored this gem. The green peridot was originally found on a small volcanic island in the Red Sea. When they located it in volcanic mines, they guarded its whereabouts closely.

The Romans also loved peridot calling it the "evening's emerald." Even in candlelight, the citrus tones of the peridot remained consistent, unlike a genuine emerald. And they were on to something. A color test is one of the best ways to tell if you have authentic peridot. More on this later!

During the Middle Ages, Europeans used peridot stones in cathedrals. They called them the "gem of the Sun," believing they had special healing powers. They wore peridot to provide foresight and inspiration. On the other hand, Hawaiians said peridots were Pele's tears, the goddess of volcanoes and lava.

People have long loved this striking gem in its effervescent shades of green regardless of where you go. It's held various meanings and, as a result, is a strong choice for jewelry.

Peridot's Color

Peridot is best known for its lime-green color. This color comes from the composition of the mineral olivine, which is dissimilar to many other gems that derive their color from impurities. Peridot can vary in shade. Some may be yellow-green while others olive or brown green.

Meaning of the Peridot

Over the years, many different groups have ascribed meaning to the green peridot. Here are some of the positives that the stone holds.

· Increases the strength and vitality

· Brings good health and restful sleep

· Spreads peace and serenity

· Balances the emotions and calms the mind

· Reduces anxiety and keeps the wearer calm

· Keeps negative energies at bay

· Aids the wearer in attracting positivity in all situations

· Helps cure diseases related to lungs, breasts, intestinal tract, spleen, lymph, asthma, sinus, stomach, eyes, thyroid, liver, etc.

· Alleviates anger, fear, nervousness, anxiety, and jealousy

· Opens the mind to allow clarity in thoughts

How to Care for a Peridot

While the peridot has a solid appearance, it's not quite as durable as some other colorful gemstones. Rapid and dramatic changes in temperature can damage peridots. In general, peridot jewelry lasts longer if they're worn occasionally as fashion jewelry rather than daily wear.

You can care for your peridot jewelry at home with a solution of warm water and dish detergent. Soak your jewelry briefly and use a soft brush to clean around the setting. A peridot should never be exposed to ultrasonic or steam cleaning because these methods can damage the gem.

How to Tell if a Peridot is Real

Because the peridot is so beloved, imitations now abound on the market today. Here are a few quick tests you can do to see if peridot is genuine. Plus, you can use some tips when buying peridot to ensure you're purchasing from a trustworthy source.

1. Do the color test

The color test is quite simple. The peridot is appealing because of its bright green color. Typically, it's olive-green with a yellow undertone, and this color should be constant regardless of the light it's viewed in. However, if your stone or jewelry is an imitation piece, then the material will show a different shade when illuminated by other sources. Often, imitation pieces are made from glass, plastic, or quartz.

2. Perform the refraction test

Peridots typically have a strong birefringence or double refraction, which means the light entering them is split into two rays. Hold your stone against the light and use a magnifying glass to test this. If only a single ray of light emits from the gemstone, then it's unlikely genuine.

3. Check for inclusions

Most peridots do not have inclusions — a material trapped within a mineral at any point of the mineral's formation — visible to the naked eye. This is known as being "eye-clean." In general, people can't check for inclusions on their own. A jeweler's loupe is typically the best way to spot the difference between a fake and real gemstone.

Additionally, just because a peridot is eye clean doesn't mean that there won't be small imperfections on your stone when viewing it with a loupe. If you see these, then the stone is likely authentic.

The best way to distinguish between a real peridot and a fake one is by checking the seller's legitimacy and requesting a certificate of authenticity. A certificate of authenticity will provide information about the gem and its quality grade, carat weight, and any enhancements done.

Final Thoughts

What do you think of the August birthstone, the peridot? It's the perfect gift for someone born in August, giving birth in the next few weeks, or celebrating a 16th wedding anniversary. Birthstone jewelry puts a unique spin on jewelry, so don't be afraid of getting a bit creative.

Our mission at Alexis Jae is to help people skip the middleman and invest in high-quality, ethically sourced jewelry. We only sell fine jewelry (14k or 18k gold) featuring precious or semi-precious stones. Start shopping today and save 50% off traditional retail prices! Visit here to learn more.