All About August’s Birthstones: Peridot & Spinel

For reasons unknown, many of our months are blessed with multiple birthstone options to choose from. Lucky for our August Babies, they’re one of them! This month we've curated a collection of peridot and spinel One of a Kind designs just for you. 

Peridot, the stone most commonly known as August’s birthstone, is a limey-green gem variety of the mineral Olivine. It’s actually one of the few gem species that comes in just one color! Made up primarily of iron and magnesium, the element iron is the main reason for her signature yellowish-green hue. The finest gem-quality peridot may resemble the color of bright spring grass with the most common resembling the garnish of your extra dirty martini. 

Not only is the gem formed deep within the earth and brought up to the surface with the help of volcanic eruptions (super similar to diamonds), but she’s got some extraterrestrial experience on her resume as well!

In 2005, Peridot was found in the comet dust of the Stardust robotic space probe. And so far, she’s still the only gem that has been discovered inside meteorites that have fallen to Earth. Peridot is truly out of this world!  At 6.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, she’s one of the softer beauties in the gemstone game. We recommend bezel setting her if you’re going to set it & forget it. Or simply think twice about wearing her for certain outings and activities, if prongs speak more to your style. 

Facts About Peridot:

• The name peridot comes from the Arabic word “faridat,” meaning “gem.” 
• Peridot is sourced from the United States, China, Vietnam, Finland, Pakistan, Myanmar, and the island of Zabargad.
• The sands of Peridot Beach in Hawaii sparkle a glorious green. 
• Ancient Egyptians mined peridot along the Red Sea Island of Zabargard and it’s believed that Cleopatra’s famous collection of emeralds were more likely peridots instead. 
• Peridots even have their own signature inclusions called lily pads. 

The second birthstone for August is a new Marrow Fine fave to work with, Spinel. Unlike Peridot, she comes in a bunch of different colors. From poppy pinks, reds, and oranges to more moody and mysterious blues, greys and purples, you can sprinkle spinel in almost any colorstory. 

Spinels are rad and highly underrated across the industry. While we may love them, many of our babes don’t even know that they exist! Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

For centuries some of the world’s most famous red spinels were initially thought to be rubies. It wasn’t until 1783 that a mineralogist named Jean Baptiste Louis Rome de Lisle finally separated the two. Not only do they have the same cubic crystal structure as diamonds and garnets, but as an 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, Spinels are another solid option for everyday wear. 

Fun Facts About Spinel:

• Spinels are nicknamed “The Great Imposter”  because of how often they were mistaken by royalty for rubies. 
• The 170ct Black Prince’s Ruby, set in Great Britain’s Imperial State Crown, is actually a red Spinel. Peter of Castille used the gemstone as payment to Edward, Prince of Wales for helping him win a battle in 1367. 
• Spinel can be found in Afghanistan, Brazil, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Kenya, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and Vietnam with the majority of highly coveted pinks and red being found in Myanmar. 
• In 2016, the American Gem Trade Association and Jewelers of America added spinel to August’s birthstone line up.

August Birthstone Collection Highlights

Add a little pop of bright green or sultry grey to your everyday stacks with the help of our birthstone collection. Layer with a lariat necklace or honor your little one(s) with our arch band or star set stacker. 

We love a good asymmetrical spray around here! As soon as we snagged this Lavender spinel trillion, it was obvious that we needed to have some fun with her. Pair her with our new Sri Lankan Siren Band for pastel perfection!

Did you know that Spinel comes in several phenomenal varieties as well? And to prove it, we’ve sourced a spinel with an absolutely sickening color change phenomena. Depending on your lighting, she can shift from slightly greenish in incandescent light to more purplish in fluorescent light.

Loving these two stunning birthstones as much as we do? We're so excited about these pieces & hope all of our August-born babes (or anyone looking for a little something special) adore them as much as we do!

Shop the August Birthstone collection here.

Have questions about these spinel & peridot beauties or need something in a pinch? We’re here to help! Feel free to contact us here.