Amazing August Birthstones: How to Wear Peridot, Spinel, and Sardonyx

Amazing August Birthstones: How to Wear Peridot, Spinel, and Sardonyx

People have been wearing birthstones for centuries, and for interesting reasons. The idea of birthstones comes from the Bible.

The Old Testament states that Moses' brother, Aaron, became a high priest after Moses' death and wore a breastplate when performing his duties. The breastplate had twelve gems on it, which corresponded to the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 months in a year.

The Old Testament never says what the stones are, so we've mostly been guessing ever since. In our current arrangement, August birthstones include Peridot, Spinel, and Sardonyx. We'll discuss these gems and how to wear them in this article.

Peridot

The first August birthstone, Peridot, is usually a dazzling light green color. These stones, while not exceedingly rare, tend to show up in lava and the occasional meteorite.

Peridot, like most gemstones, forms as a result of magma interacting with water. However, Peridot differs from most other gemstones because it forms below the crust in the upper mantle. Given their exposure to magma, most gemstones form as a liquid and solidify once they reach the Earth's surface, usually due to volcanic or seismic activity.

One of the best ways to wear a Peridot is in a necklace. According to legend, the Peridot is associated with protection and falling in love, especially when worn near the heart. The Egyptians associated the stone with the Sun god Ra, and Cleopatra wore a Peridot gem on a necklace for this reason.

Spinel

Spinel is a kind of gemstone that's often found among metamorphic or igneous rocks. Spinel is an interesting gem, because not only does it come in a wide range of colors, from bluish to red, and even orange, but it's also much rarer than ruby or sapphire.

By much rarer, we mean 100 times rarer, so rare that it's often more affordable. The reason for this has to do with supply and demand. While the price goes up when demand is higher than supply, spinel is so rare that the supply isn't reliable enough to make a business out of.

Spinel's wide range of colors makes it a great centerpiece in any type of jewelry. If you need any help finding a piece or having it made, come visit us in Largo, Florida. Birthstones are one of our specialties.

Sardonyx

An often-overlooked August birthstone is Sardonyx. Though far more common and not quite as shiny as Peridot or Spinel, Sardonyx is beautiful in its own right. It comes in brownish-orange with streaks of white.

Though it's considered one of August's birthstones, Sardonyx isn't a gemstone. It's actually a type of Onyx, which is where it gets its name. Sard is a geological term that means red.

Since Sardonyx isn't a gemstone, you can wear more of it without seeming gaudy. It's not uncommon to see bangles, earrings, necklaces, and many other types of jewelry with Sardonyx on it.

August Birthstones and How to Wear Them

There are many different ways to wear August birthstones. We've discussed some of them in this article. 

If you want to know more about birthstones and birthstone jewelry, especially near Clearwater or Tampa Bay, please visit our site. We can tell you about the jewelry trends spreading through Florida this summer.

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