It’s the last full month of summer, and the heat is on, so it’s time to maximize the last remaining weeks of summer, especially if your birthday is coming up in August.
If you were born in August then you have two beautiful birthstones: peridot and sardonyx. Peridot is a unique gemstone in that it only comes in one color (green), though it does come in olive and lime varieties. Most stones, even those that we tend to associate a specific color to, are actually found in a multitude of colors in nature. August’s other stone, for example, comes in white, gray and a number of other colors. Sardonyx is composed of layers of diminutive quartz fibers stacked one on top of another to create a banded appearance. Let’s take a closer look at each stone.
Peridot
Known as “The Evening Emerald,” peridot is closely associated with growth, love, dignity and prosperity. When seen under the light of the night sky it can give off a soft green glow and look like a tiny lantern. And if you believe in mysticism, then you know it’s said the stone is able to stave off evil and nightmares, bringing tranquility and progress into the wearer’s life.
There’s also an interesting little poem associated with the stone: “Wear a peridot or for thee, No conjugal fidelity, The August born without this stone, ‘Tis said, must live unloved alone.”
On a happier note, the stone is often given on a couple’s 16th anniversary and is said to bring love, commitment, harmony and loyalty to those who give or wear it. During ancient times it was thought that the peridot was a gift from Mother Nature herself, and that it was meant to celebrate the yearly formation of a new world.
Most modern peridot is found in Arizona, but it is also dug up in Mynamar, Pakistan and China. The stones are formed deep beneath the surface of the planet but are brought upwards through volcanic activity. The brighter its green, the more desirable a stone is. Those under three carats in size are extremely common, but gemstones that are more than five carats are incredibly rare and in turn bring in a higher value. Those in the 10 to 15 carat range are exceedingly uncommon, but they give the wearer a bold look at a price that, while more expensive than smaller peridots, is far cheaper than many other gemstones of comparable size.
Peridot has been used as jewelry as far back as Ancient Egypt. Egypt is believed to have been the primary source of the stones during that era, and it was referred to by the Egyptians as the “Gem of the Sun.” Though many believe Queen Cleopatra wore emerald stones as jewelry, that’s actually not the case. Nope, Cleopatra wore peridot, the emerald’s evening cousin. Egyptians even believed that the stone had the force of nature in it, and thus used cups encrusted with the stone in rituals to achieve communion with their nature gods.
Early settlers of Hawaii had their own view of the gemstone. There, the Polynesians thought the stones symbolized the tears of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes.
Sardonyx
A form of onyx that contains reddish-brown and white banding, sardonyx is August’s other birthstone. Varying in color, the most-prized sardonyx stones come from Uruguay, India, the United States, Brazil, Germany and Czechoslovakia.
The word “sardonyx” comes from the Greek word “sard,” which means “reddish-brown” and “onyx,” meaning “veined gem.” The stone is fairly common, which is the precise reason why it was popular in ancient times. While rarer gems could only be acquired by the wealthy elite and nobility, the sardonyx stone was both attractive and widely available.
Not all sardonyx over the years has been owned by commoners, though. Perhaps the most famous one was set in a gold ring and carved with the portrait of Queen Elizabeth I of England .The queen gave it to the Earl of Essex as a symbol of their friendship, assuring him that she would always come to his aid if he should ever need it. As the story goes, the earl one day found himself imprisoned for treason and sentenced to be condemned, so he sent the ring to the queen. Lady Nottingham intercepted it, though, and her husband was the earl’s enemy, so she kept it. Believing the earl had been too proud to ask for help, the queen did not intervene in his execution. Lady Nottingham would later confess the truth while on her deathbed, which left the queen heartbroken.
Russian Formula Cubic Zirconia
But getting back to stones that are as popular for their beauty as they are for their affordability, let’s talk about Russian Formula cubic zirconia. Of the five readily available forms of cubic zirconia, the Russian Formula is the most premium grade, ensuring that you’ll get a simulated diamond that’s as beautiful as the real thing for a fraction of the price.