August Birthdays

Peridot Jewelry for your August Birthday

Peridot is a lime green gem recognized as the traditional birthstone for the month of August. Giving someone a piece of jewelry containing this birthstone is thought to bring the wearer protection and good luck. Peridot is associated with faithfulness, love, truth, and loyalty. It is also thought to have healing properties, especially to illnesses relating to the lymph, lungs, sinuses, and breast. The name Peridot originates from the Arabic term “faridat”, meaning gem. It was believed that the Peridot continued to glow with light even as the darkness fell. This may be the reason that the Peridot is often referred to as the “evening emerald”. Learn about August’s birthstone – the Peridot.

Color of the Peridot

Peridots are green in color, although their green shade can slightly vary depending on the iron content of the gem. The meaning of the colors is often represented in various aspects of life, including biblical, social, religious, and Christian symbolism. It is often associated with nature and life. Many people opt for Peridot jewelry where the stone is a sparkling lime green, with an olive or brownish cast. While lime green is a favorable hue for the Peridot, the stone can also be found in yellowish-green, medium green, dark green, and a lovely olive green.

Selecting a Peridot

When choosing Peridot jewelry, there are several things one should look for. These include the four C’s: cut, color, carat, and clarity. The color of the stone will be the first thing that most people notice, whether it’s a yellowish green or a dark forest green. When looking for a Peridot, try to find a stone that has a bright green color that is uniform in tone without blotches. This may require some shopping around. A major advantage of choosing a Peridot for your August birthstone is that the stones are far less likely to have marks or inclusions, compared to other gemstones. It’s not at all difficult to find a desirable green Peridot birthstone that has a sense of clarity and intense color. The cut of the Peridot stone will also help to maximize its potential beauty.

Like with any stone, the larger the gem, the more expensive in most cases. Peridots tend to be soft in nature, making them better for necklaces, earrings, and brooches, as these areas do not get as much wear as rings and bracelets. To prevent damage to your Peridot stones, it’s important to invest in a quality piece of jewelry. With proper care, your Peridot jewelry has the ability to last for many years. It is the perfect gift for a loved one on his or her birthday, or for any special occasion.

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The History of Peridot in Jewelry

The green and gold hues of the gem, peridot, have been in high demand for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptian priests drank to the goddess, Isis, from cups made out of the stone. This connection with a higher power continued over the ages, and peridot can now be found within many medieval churches and in European artwork, specifically from the baroque period. In modern times, jewelers continue to use this stone to make stunning bracelets, necklaces and much more. For example, many amazing pieces from John S. Brana contain peridot, like his hammered copper earrings and his sterling silver starfish rings.

Peridot is August's Birthstone

Not only do the inner impurities and amazing green color of peridot make it a truly breathtaking gem, but it is also the birthstone for those born in August. Because its interior seems almost alive, peridot is representative of vitality and strength. It signifies inner power and long-lasting relationships, as well as future success and positive growth. The stone is also said to have many mystical properties such as reliving stress, healing the heart, enhancing fame, and boosting the potency of medicinal products. All of this makes a piece of peridot jewelry the perfect gift for all those August babies.

August's Birthstone in Handmade Designer Jewelry

The gem, peridot, looks great no matter where it is used. Everyone from the ancient Egyptians to the baroque artists knew of this fact. Luckily, the stone still looks fantastic today and can be found in modern-day jewelry such as rings and bracelets. John S. Brana's chalk turquoise necklace contains peridots mixed in with the other gems while his gold fold formed leaf earrings also contain the stone. No matter what item catches your eye, that sparkling green found in the peridots within will make it something you wish to wear everywhere, regardless of whether it is your birthstone or not.

August's birthstone, Peridot, is a light green gem with a mystical history.

Pronounced "pear-a-doe, " Peridot belongs to a mineral group known as Olivines. The yellowish green kind is called Chrysolite, a gem mentioned in the Bible as one of the decorations on the high priest's breastplate. The olive-green version is called Olivine.  Sometimes called "the poor man's emerald, " the name Peridot comes from a Greek word "faridat, " which means "gem." It is also often referred to as "poor man's emerald".  The traditional lime-green color associated with the Peridot makes it a popular gemstone for jewelry. How deep its green color will be, depends on how much iron is in the crystal structure. Whatever its shade, through the ages its color was thought to reflect many spiritual aspects of life.

The first documented source of Peridot was 4,000 years ago on an island off Egypt now called Zabargard. Early Crusaders called the isle on St. John's Island, and brought its green gems with them back to Europe. The ancients thought of Peridot as a springtime stone and considered it one of Mother Nature's gifts. However, if someone dreamed about Peridot, the dream was said to be a sign of coming danger.  Christians also considered Peridot sacred. Today, Catholic bishops traditionally wear rings decorated with Peridot and amethyst, symbolizing the purity and morality of their church office.

As the stone assigned to those born in August, Peridot is said to impart love, faithfulness, truth and loyalty to its wearers. It's also thought to enhance prosperity, growth, and openness.  Many New Age healers believe that Peridot is one of the few stones to which no negative energy will cling. It's said to improve mental clarity and to have a beneficial effect on the gall bladder and the liver, as well as the lungs, lymph system, breasts and sinuses.  Today Peridot has moved far beyond the Egyptian isle where it was first discovered. The lovely green gem is mined in Arizona and Hawaii, Myanmar, Australia, Norway, South Africa and Brazil, making Peridot a citizen of the world.

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