Birthstone · August
August Birthstones
The stones of light and protection. August carries peridot, spinel, and sardonyx — long tied to lightness, well-being, and good cheer.
August is a three-stone month, led by peridot with spinel and sardonyx as official alternatives. Peridot is the bright one — a lime-to-olive green olivine that the ancient Egyptians mined on a Red Sea island and called the 'gem of the sun'. Spinel, added to the list in 2016, is a hard, brilliant stone that occurs in vivid reds and pinks and was historically mistaken for ruby. Sardonyx is the quiet third — banded layers of reddish sard and white onyx, carved into protective seals since Roman times.
Their traditions lean toward light and defense: peridot for positive energy and protection from what the Egyptians called night terrors, spinel for vitality and devotion, sardonyx for grounding courage. We've spent 14 years among stones like these; below are August's birthstones, the older traditions behind them, and the natural, hard-wearing crystals we'd point you to.
- Modern birthstone
- Peridot
- also Spinel, Sardonyx
- Color
- Olive green
- Tradition
- Long associated with lightness, well-being, and good cheer.
The stones we'd reach for
August crystals
Natural, quality-verified stones tied to the month — read what each is known for, then explore its full profile.
Peridot
Bright lime-to-olive green olivine (Mohs 6.5), the 'gem of the sun'. Long associated in tradition with positive energy and protection. A natural, vivid green stone — though prone to chipping, so handle it with a little care.
Explore Peridot →
Prehnite
Soft, glowing light-green silicate (Mohs 6–6.5), often threaded with needles of black tourmaline. A durable, affordable stand-in for peridot's green, traditionally linked to calm and renewal.
Explore Prehnite →
Green Aventurine
Gentle green quartz with a soft glitter of mica (Mohs 7). A hard-wearing, natural August green long turned to in tradition for well-being and quiet good luck.
Explore Green Aventurine →
Carnelian
Warm reddish-orange chalcedony quartz (Mohs 6.5–7), the close cousin of August's banded sardonyx. Long carried for courage and physical vitality — a natural, affordable nod to the month's red-stone tradition.
Explore Carnelian →
Across tradition
The older birthstone systems
Before the modern list, other traditions paired the month with their own stone.
Good to know
Questions about the August birthstone
What is the August birthstone?
August has three modern birthstones: peridot is the primary, with spinel and sardonyx as official alternatives. Peridot is the best-known — a bright olive green — and any of the three is a correct choice.
What color is the August birthstone?
Peridot is a distinctive lime-to-olive green. Spinel is usually a vivid red or pink, and sardonyx is banded reddish-brown and white. Green is the color most associated with August.
Why was spinel added to August?
Spinel joined the list in 2016. For centuries it was confused with ruby — the famous 'Black Prince's Ruby' in the British Crown Jewels is actually a spinel — so its addition honored a long-overlooked gem in its own right.
Is peridot a real, natural stone?
Yes. Peridot is natural olivine, and every piece we ship is a real, quality-verified stone — never dyed or synthetic. It's a relatively soft gem, so we'd suggest a protective setting for daily-wear rings.
Is my birthstone the same as my zodiac stone?
Not always. A birthstone follows the calendar month; a zodiac stone follows your sun sign, and August spans Leo and Virgo. Both threads are linked above.
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The crystal knowledge we share is grounded in years of hands-on work at Bliss Crystals — sourcing the stones, learning what each has meant across tradition, and passing it on with care.
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