The birthstones for August are anything but ordinary and present a mouth-watering array of lush green to yellows, deep juicy reds, blues, purples and a uniquely striated stone in warm ambers and energised oranges.
We are excited to present the unusual, ancient and otherworldly August birth stones, all of which can be paired with gold or silver toned metals to bring out the lustre of the gems.
Peridot
One of the most otherworldly gems, Peridot has an intense and vibrant spring green colour and has a fascinating origin story. While modern Peridot is often imported from China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam and the US the origin of some stones is far more exotic. Peridot can be found in exotic lakes such as the Peridot Beach in Hawaii where the sands shimmer an otherworldly green due to the high concentration of Peridot in the sand. Other Peridot stones are found in lava stones thrown up by massive active volcanoes, and still others arrived on earth in meteorites!
Wherever your Peridot was found, you can be sure to draw attention with the unusual clear green of the stone. Paired beautifully with gold or silver toned metal, Peridot is a wonderful gift for an August born individual with a touch of the exotic in their own right.
Because of the slightly softer nature of the gem, our team recommend settings in earrings and necklaces as these are less likely to receive bumps that may chip or fracture the stone.
Spinel
The chameleon of the gem world, Spinel comes in vibrant pinks, greens, blues, purples and red and has often been mistaken for gems such as sapphires, rubies, and even emeralds. A beautiful 170c Spinel can be found in the State Crown above the Cullinan II Diamond and this Spinel has often been mistaken for a ruby.
Offering exquisite clarity and an 8 on the Mohs scale of harness, Spinel’s are a great option for a variety of jewellery settings and work beautifully with other gems such as diamonds.
Our team recommend Spinel gems for unique pieces where a pop of intense colour draws the eye. The stones hardness makes them a great option for rings and bracelets, and of course, crowns.
Sardonyx
A striated combination of sandstone called sard and onyx, Sardonyx is Augusts most ancient birthstone. Typically, the different colours include oranges, brownish red to brown alternating with white or black onyx.
You may think you’ve never seen a Sardonyx, but most people are familiar with the ancient Roman cameos and intaglios in which the lighter Sardonyx has been carved into the bust of a person and the darker Sardonyx used as a background.
In modern settings, Sardonyx are unusual stones with beautiful natural striation that make interesting earrings and pendants. Sardonyx can be dyed and presents a gorgeous pallet for jewellery designers resulting in eye-catching, unique pieces.
Because of its relative softness, the Martin Gear Jewellery team recommend using Sardonyx in a flat setting such as a necklace pendant as this would protect the stone from bumps.
Conclusion
No matter what the occasion, the August birthstone offer a lovely selection of unusual and rarely used gems perfect for expressing the unique personality of the wearer. Our team is standing by to help you create the perfect August birthstone piece for your collection.
