August Birthstone - Peridot

The primary birthstone for August is peridot, a vibrant lime green gemstone.

August has previously been identified with both Sardonyx and Spinel stones, but Peridot is now recognised as the official stone for the month, a rare and beautiful stone that was historically thought to have healing properties.

Like all fine jewellery, peridot jewellery will maintain its lustre for longer with proper care and regular cleaning.

Take care when wearing your peridot jewellery to avoid knocking it against hard surfaces, and protect it when you aren’t wearing it by safely storing it in its box. Your peridot jewellery will be exposed to oils from your skin as well as dirt and chemicals when you are wearing it, and can be cleaned with warm, soapy water occasionally. You can also bring your peridot jewellery into your nearest Michael Hill store for complimentary cleaning.

Peridot jewellery is versatile enough to be styled with other gemstones, and should be worn in a way that makes you feel confident and beautiful - don’t be afraid to experiment.

You may choose to wear either sterling silver or gold jewellery with your peridot stone, and can style it with other pieces of the same metal or create contrast by mixing metals. The light green colour of peridot lends itself well to diamonds, and can also be contrasted with deeper coloured stones such as emeralds. However, avoid layering your peridot jewellery right next to harder gemstones such as diamonds where they might rub against each other. A peridot stacker ring will add colour and contrast to a multi-ring stack, and a pair of peridot stud earrings worn as a second piercing will make a pair of gold hoop earrings pop.

Peridot is always green, though its exact hue will depend on the amount of iron in its structure.

The colour of individual peridot gems can vary from a yellow-green to a more olive or brownish green colour.