Birthstone for August: Peridot
If your birthday is in August, then your birthstone is the peridot!
Peridot is a brilliant green gem. It’s often confused with emeralds, but you can tell the difference by the shade of green. Emeralds tend to be a deeper hue, while peridots are lighter and have fewer inclusions.
Peridot is a gem quality version of the mineral olivine (so named for its olive hue). One of the best things about peridot is that much of it is mined right here in the United States!
This gemstone gets its green from the combination of iron and magnesium. The color of peridot can range from yellow to brown, depending on the ration of iron to magnesium. But the common peridot that we know and love is mostly green.
Peridot is a great choice for those with summer birthdays! Unlike emerald, which is a much heavier tone, peridot is a light green that adds a subtle glimmer of summer to an ensemble. Peridot can perfectly set off your summer tan, enhancing the golden tones of summer skin.
With that said, here are three ways to wear peridot:
Affordable Accent
Macy’s Sterling Silver Peridot and Diamond Bracelet, $50.15 at macys.com
This simple — yet elegant — bracelet, is delicate and pretty enough to wear to a garden party, but casual enough to wear to a summer barbecue. And at the sale price, you’ll have enough left over to buy a new summer frock to go with it!
Peridot has a hardness of about 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, so it can scratch. This means that you should probably wear something else to a beach party. But I recommend that you get all of your beach parties out of the way in July so that you can spend August showing off your peridot!
The Investment Piece
Rebecca Large Bronze Ring with Peridot Stone, $575 at nordstrom.com
Don’t think of it as jewelry; think of it as an investment. This cocktail ring makes a statement: it says, “I was born in August, and I’m beautiful!”
It’s another versatile piece that will go just as well with jeans and a t-shirt as it will with a sleek cocktail dress.
But the best part about this ring is that, while certain pieces may go out of style, your birthday will never change. That means that it will always be appropriate for you to wear this ring!
Living in Luxury
David Yurman Petite Albion Peridot Necklace, $2,150 at neimanmarcus.com
It’s your birthday. You deserve a little luxury.
And nothing screams “LUXURY!” like a peridot surrounded by pavé diamonds, suspended on a yellow gold box-chain.
Most of us will only own a few status pieces like this one in our lifetimes. So why not make it a piece that also showcases the month in which you were born?
You August Peridots out there are fresh-faced and light-hearted. Keep your friends green with envy — because you’re green with peridot!
Going Green,
Olivia
