August Birthstone Guide: Peridot, Spinel & Sardonyx Jewelry

August is one of the few birth months where "your birthstone" isn't a single answer. It's three. That's not a technicality: it's an advantage. According to the birthstone chart, you have one or two gemstones and expect you to make it work. August gives you a green stone, a stone that comes in nearly every color, and a banded stone with 4,000 years of history behind it. You get to pick the one that actually matches how you want to wear it.

What Is the Birthstone for August?

August has three recognized birthstones: peridot, spinel, and sardonyx. Peridot is the best-known and most modern of the three, prized for its yellowish-green to green color. Spinel offers a wide color range, including red, pink, and blue varieties. Sardonyx, a banded form of chalcedony, is the oldest of the three, with a history that stretches back more than four millennia.

None of the three is more "official" than the others in current U.S. jewelry-trade practice. They’re presented together as August's birthstones by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS). Peridot simply has the strongest name recognition today.

August Birthstone: Three Colorful Stone Overview

Gemstone pricing varies enormously by quality, size, origin, treatment, and market demand, so treat this table as a starting point for conversation with a jeweler, not a price list.

Why Does August Have Three Birthstones?

Sardonyx is the original August stone, tied to jewelry traditions going back thousands of years. Peridot became the modern primary birthstone during the early 20th century. Spinel is the newest addition, joining the official list in 2016 when Jewelers of America and the American Gem Trade Association updated the U.S. birthstone list to recognize a gem long overshadowed by ruby. The result: one traditional stone, one modern favorite, one rediscovered classic.

1. Peridot: The Green August Birthstone

Peridot is the gem variety of the mineral olivine, and its green comes from iron within the crystal itself rather than a trace impurity, which is why peridot is always some shade of green, never another color. It forms deep in Earth's upper mantle and rides to the surface in volcanic rock, and it has also turned up in meteorites, making it one of the few gems with an extraterrestrial connection.

Ancient sources place peridot mining on a Red Sea island the Greeks called Topazios, a historical mix-up, since that island actually produced peridot, not topaz. Peridot has also long been confused with emerald, as some historians believe part of Cleopatra's famed "emerald" collection may actually have been peridot. At roughly 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, it's durable enough for regular wear but benefits from a protective setting.

2. Spinel: August's Color-Changing Choice

Spinel is a true color chameleon. It occurs naturally in red, pink, orange, purple, blue, and violet. For centuries, red spinel was mistaken for ruby, and some of history's most famous "rubies" turned out to be spinel once gemology advanced enough to tell them apart. This includes the large red gem set in Britain's Imperial State Crown, long known by a name that assumed it was a ruby.

That confusion is a big part of why gemology exists as a discipline: distinguishing spinel from ruby pushed the field toward more rigorous identification methods. Today spinel stands on its own, prized for excellent brilliance and a Mohs hardness around 8, harder than peridot or sardonyx, and well suited to daily wear.

3. Sardonyx: The Original August Birthstone

Sardonyx combines two banded varieties of chalcedony: sard and onyx into a stone with alternating reddish-brown, orange, white, or black layers. It's the oldest of August's three birthstones, used in jewelry and seals for more than 4,000 years. Romans prized it specifically for signet rings and wax seals, since the banded layers made a carved design stand out clearly when pressed into wax.

The same carving tradition behind the sardonyx cameos and intaglios that survive in museum collections today. It sits around 6.57 on the Mohs scale, giving it solid everyday durability.

August Birthstone Colors Compared

August is unusual because its three birthstones point in three completely different visual directions: fresh green (peridot), vivid, wide-ranging color (spinel), or earthy, banded texture (sardonyx). No other birth month offers that much visual range within one "official" set.

What Do the August Birthstones Symbolize?

Three layers get combined in most birthstone content, so it's worth separating them.

Historical symbolism is what ancient cultures actually associated with the stone: sardonyx's use in signet jewelry, for instance, was as much practical (easy to carve) as symbolic (protection).

Traditional birthstone symbolism is the folklore layer: peridot's traditional link to positive energy, spinel's to renewal. These are cultural traditions, not scientific claims.

Modern interpretation is simpler: most buyers today choose based on color and style, not folklore. None of these traditions should be read as medical or metaphysical fact.

August Birthstone Prices: What Actually Determines Cost?

There is no single "August birthstone price," and the spread within one stone type is often bigger than the gap between the three. Here's what the loose-gemstone trade actually shows, as a general reference rather than a quote for any specific piece.

• Peridot is one of the more approachable colored gems.

Commercial-quality material runs $5-$20 per carat, good eye-clean color moves into $65-$150 per carat, and large (10+ carat), vivid grass-green stones from Myanmar's Mogok region or Pakistan's Supat Valley can reach $150-$900+ per carat. Fine color intensifies naturally in bigger peridot, and clean large stones are genuinely scarce.

• Spinel has the widest spread of the three.

Because color rarity swings so dramatically. Muted shades, grayish blue, dark violet, gray,  typically run $200-$500 per carat. Fine, vivid red spinel is a different market: unheated, high-saturation Burmese red can trade at $5,000-$10,000+ per carat, and vivid Tanzanian "Mahenge" pink can exceed $4,000 per carat. That gap is a direct legacy of spinel's history, undervalued next to ruby for centuries, now commanding prices closer to what it was always worth.

• Sardonyx is priced on visual contrast, not carat weight.

Abundant supply keeps most jewelry-grade stones in the $5-$50 per carat range regardless of size. Sharp, high-contrast banding costs more than muddy banding, and hand-carved cameos or intaglios are priced as craftsmanship rather than raw weight. Fine antique carved pieces can reach hundreds to a few thousand dollars.

One distinction that trips people up: the loose gemstone's price is not the finished ring's price. Retail also covers metal, labor, any diamond accents, and design markup aspect as a result, a $40 loose peridot can sit in a $600 halo ring once gold and craftsmanship are added, which isn't overpricing. It’s the rest of the piece.

Budget-conscious buyers get the most value from saturated, even color over carat size. Mid-range buyers should spend on cut quality and clarity (VVS in diamond), which affect sparkle more than an extra half-carat. Premium buyers chasing rarity should look at origin and treatment disclosure, and untreated red or pink spinel and large, top-color peridot are where real scarcity (and real price jumps) live.

Don't Choose by Birth Month Alone: Choose the Stone That Fits Your Jewelry

The best August birthstone depends less on the calendar and more on what you're actually going to wear.

• Everyday ring

In an everyday-worn ring, hands take the most daily impact of any jewelry location. Spinel's higher hardness (Mohs 8) makes it the lowest-maintenance daily-ring choice. Peridot and sardonyx work too, but do better in protective bezel or halo settings that shield the stone's edges.

• Earrings and pendants

When wearing earrings and gold pendants like Pisces zodiac jewelry, both see far less impact than rings, so durability matters less here. It’s a great category to let peridot's bright color or sardonyx's banding be the whole point.

• Statement ring

Here you can experience where color and cut do the heavy lifting. A large, vivid spinel or a rich green peridot in an engagement halo ring setting creates real visual presence. Wearing a purity ring is also known as more promising choice for the August birthstone. Choosing a 1-carat diamond and 14KT yellow gold band also enhances the look.

• Birthday gift

Gifting a weigh the recipient's actual taste over their birth month. Someone who loves warm color may connect more with red spinel than green peridot, even though both are equally "correct" August choices.

Do You Have to Wear Your August Birthstone?

No. A birthstone is a cultural and jewelry tradition, not a rule. Being born in August doesn't obligate anyone to wear peridot, spinel, or sardonyx. There are plenty of jewelry lovers who choose a different gemstone entirely because the color, symbolism, or style fits them better. As a result, we include it in summer jewelry trends for 2026.

If green doesn't suit your coloring or wardrobe, or you've simply always loved blue or red stones, there's nothing wrong with choosing sapphire, ruby, diamond, or another gemstone instead. Meaningful jewelry is more personal when the gemstone reflects the wearer, not just the calendar.

1. Pear Sapphire Halo Lab Diamond Chevron Gold Ring

If your preference is toward blue rather than green, a sapphire design may feel more natural than forcing yourself into a traditional August color story. Zemerra's pear sapphire halo lab diamond chevron 14KT gold ring is a good example. Buying a pear-shaped offers advantages, including, it offers a classic blue gemstone with diamond halo sparkle for someone who wants fine-jewelry polish over a traditional birthstone color.

2. Five Stone Oval Cut Ruby Halo Fashion Ring

If bold red speaks to you more than green or banded earth tones, that's also valid. The five stone oval cut ruby halo fashion ring in 18KT yellow gold offers that. The 40 lab-grown diamonds in round shapes are engraved to the setting. This is a statement piece built around color and personality rather than birth-month convention.

3. Pear Cut Blue Sapphire Halo Toi et Moi Bypass Ring

For someone drawn to unconventional design as much as color, the pear-shaped blue sapphire halo Toi et Moi bypass ring shows how a two-stone bypass silhouette can carry romantic symbolism without being a traditional birthstone piece at all. The two original sapphire stones set with the prongs and 18KT white gold create such a unique combination.

To be clear: sapphire and ruby are not August birthstones. They're offered here as examples of a real and common buying decision. Choosing jewelry based on personal color preference and design taste rather than the birthstone calendar.

Choosing the Right Metal for August Birthstone Jewelry

There are 4 options you can opt for: 1. Gold and 2. Platinum. In gold, you have three different tones: Yellow Gold, Rose Gold, and White Gold. Referring to the metal quality its 14KT and 18KT.

• Peridot suits a traditional yellow gold tone.

When buying peridot gemstone jewelry, it naturally suits yellow gold metal due to its warm and vintage-inspired look. You can opt for white gold as the August birthstone reads cooler and more contemporary.

• Spinel will appear more versatile for its different colors.

Red spinel looks rich and traditional against yellow gold, while pink or blue spinel often looks crisper against a white gold engagement ring or platinum. Purchasing rose gold jewelry with an August spinel stone offers a premium visual on the personality.

• Sardonyx's earthy banding pairs correctly with any tone.

This birthstone jewelry comfortably pairs with yellow or rose gold, playing up its antique character. You can choose platinum for a premium appearance on the jewelry to experience originality and exclusivity.

None of these is objectively "best." They’re starting points based on the contrast you want between stone and metal.

August Birthstone and Zodiac Signs

August spans two zodiac signs: Leo (through roughly August 22) and Virgo (from roughly August 23). Some astrology-based jewelry traditions associate additional gemstones with each sign, separate from the monthly birthstone system. But these associations vary by tradition, and there's no single agreed-upon zodiac gemstone list. Treat zodiac gem shopping as a personal or astrological preference distinct from the peridot-spinel-sardonyx birthstone tradition.

August 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,…, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30 & 31 Birthstone: Is There a Different Stone?

No. There is no separate official birthstone assigned to individual August dates in the modern U.S. birthstone system. Whether someone is born on August 3 or August 31, the relevant birthstones remain the same three: peridot, spinel, and sardonyx. Searches for a specific date's birthstone are really asking about the zodiac sign that date falls under (Leo or Virgo) rather than a distinct monthly gemstone. As noted above, zodiac gem associations vary by tradition rather than following one fixed system.

How to Care for August Birthstone Jewelry?

There are ways to maintain the August birthstone jewelry:

• Peridot should stick to warm, soapy water and a soft brush. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners carry some risk, so use them cautiously or skip them. Store it away from harder gems that could scratch it.

• Spinel is more forgiving thanks to its higher hardness, but warm soapy water remains the safest routine.

• Sardonyx cleans well with mild soap and water. Avoid harsh chemicals that could dull the polish and blur its banding.

For all three, a periodic professional prong check catches loose settings before a stone is lost.

Which August Birthstone Should You Choose?

Pick the August birthstone as per the following criteria:

• Choose peridot if you want the classic, most recognizable modern August stone with a bright, consistent green.

• Choose spinel if you want color options beyond green, plus a harder stone that holds up well to daily wear.

• Choose sardonyx if you're drawn to history, texture, and a graphic, banded look that stands apart from typical faceted gemstones.

Consider another gemstone if none of August's traditional colors match your personal style: sapphire, ruby, diamond, and countless other stones make equally meaningful birthday jewelry when the color and design genuinely fit the wearer.

Buy Original August Birthstone Jewelry from Zemerra International

Celebrating an August birthday doesn't mean settling for the expected. Whether you love peridot's fresh green or you'd rather express your birth month through a bold sapphire or ruby design, Zemerra International offers gold jewelry crafted for real, everyday wear: halo settings, lab diamond accents, and designs built to last, all at prices that don't require a trade-off between quality and budget. Each piece is made with genuine gemstones and honest craftsmanship, so you get jewelry that looks as good in ten years as it does today.

Find the piece that actually feels like you.

Shop August Birthday Jewelry. Meet our jewelry expert now.