Peridot is widely recognized as August’s birthstone. Known for their vibrant warm green color, it’s a very noticeable stone. Not mentioned as frequently is sardonyx, a type of chalcedony. It’s one of the oldest, most abundant gems in the world.
Peridot:
Has historically been associated with light.
It was believed to protect from nightmares and to ward off evil.
Peridot’s name comes from the Arabic “faridat”, meaning gem.
Mostly formed deep underground, brought up by volcanoes. It can also come to Earth in meteorites.
The best color is a vibrant lime or olive green, but it can have hints of yellow, creating a beautiful yellow-green look.
With a hardness of 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, and decent toughness, this stone is very popular in rings as well as other styles of jewelry.
Sardonyx:
Symbolized the humility of the saints and the virtue of spiritual living.
Dark brown, brownish orange, or brownish red with white or black bands.
Sardonyx is ideal for cameos, intaglios, and other carving methods.
Sardonyx has decent hardness at 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, and good toughness and stability.