August Birthstone - Peridot

If fire appears to leap from the vibrant green surface of the Peridot, this may be because this gem is formed as a result of volcanic activity. Many years ago, natives discovered Peridot crystals in the black sands of Hawaii, explaining their presence as tears shed by Pele, the volcano goddess. Throughout history, August's birthstone has been used as a means to connect with nature. Early Egyptian priests drank a stimulating beverage called Soma from cups made of Peridot, believing this practice to draw them closer to Isis, the goddess of nature.

The name Peridot comes from the Arabic word "faridat," meaning gem. Ancient Egyptians called them the "gem of the sun," because of their dazzling brilliance when seen in the desert sun. It was believed that the Peridot glowed with light even as darkness fell, which is why miners were said to have scouted for these gems during the night, marking their location, and returning in the light of day to retrieve them. Perhaps this legendary mining method is the reason that the Peridot is sometimes called "evening emerald."

Peridot is a mineral named Olivine, which is found in a variety of greens, ranging from light yellowish green to a dark olive. Early mining for this gem was done on Saint John's Island near Egypt around 1500 BC. The green crystal was considered protective against evil and when set in gold, especially helpful against night terrors. It was ground to powder and used as a remedy for asthma and as a cure for thirst brought on by fever. Today, Peridot is mined in Burma, Norway, Brazil, Australia, Hawaii, the Congo, and in Arizona.

The force of nature is alive within a Peridot, making a gift of this gemstone symbolic of vitality. It signifies strength, both individual and within a relationship, as well as the promise of new growth in years ahead.

Alternate August Birthstones:

An alternate birthstone for August, Sardonyx is a type of translucent or opaque quartz with alternating parallel bands of brownish red and white. This stone was worn as a talisman by the Egyptians to protect against infections and evil. Today it is highly polished and carved into beautiful beads and cameos. Sardonyx is mined in India, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Brazil and Uruguay. A gift of this stone is considered symbolic of happiness within a relationship.

March - Gem of the month - Aquamarine

Properties & Qualities

Transparent light blue to sea-green in color - the more intense the color of the gemstone, the more its value. A member of the Beryl family with Emeralds and Morganite. Legend says that aquamarine comes from the treasure chests of mermaid's - and because of this became the lucky stone for sailors. 

The word aquamarine comes from the latin words for water (aqua) and sea (mare). Found in India, Brazil, Madagascar, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Aquamarine Gemstone Meanings - Emotional, Spiritual, etc.

• Aquamarine protects against gossip. 
• Aquamarine helps pick up your spirits. 
• Aquamarine is a good meditation gemstone - most powerful when used in this way, because it brings greater peace and serenity - for deep meditations. 
• Aquamarine is said to have protective powers for those at sea. 
• Aquamarine helps you get in touch with with your spiritual being. 
• Aquamarine is said to give insight and foresight. 
• Aquamarine gives the wearer feelings of friendship, harmony and trust. 
• Aquamarine is used in very advanced meditation to help see the truth. 
• Aquamarine is meant to help quicken the intellect. 
• Aquamarine is believed to help couples to sort out differences. 
• Aquamarine is often used as a good luck gemstone. 

Aquamarine Gemstone Meanings - Healing, Medical, Physical, etc.

• Aquamarine is used in very advanced meditation to help 
• see the truth. 
• Aquamarine helps with nerve pain. 
• Aquamarine helps with teeth and toothache. 
• Aquamarine is said to cure insomnia. 
• Aquamarine helps with seasickness. 
• Aquamarine is associated with the thymus gland. 
• Aquamarine helps reduce fluid retention. 
• Aquamarine is meant to help with laziness. 
• Aquamarine is said to help aid digestion 
• Aquamarine was used by the Romans for disease of the stomach, and believed could cure liver and throat troubles. 
• Aquamarine is said to help reduce dependence on drugs.

TanzaniteOne Recovers 12,100-carat Stone

Mining company TanzaniteOne reported that it had recovered the third-largest high quality gemstone ever mined in the 10 year operating history of its tanzanite project. The 12,100 carat (2.42 kg) rough tanzanite stone was discovered recently at the company's flagship tanzanite project in the Simanjiro district of Tanzania. The exceptional stone was recovered from Main Shaft, located in the center of the company's licence at a vertical depth of just over 450m. The stone was mined from a newly intersected fold structure, with initial indications suggesting an exceptionally high potential grade and quality yield profile from the structure.

Could possibly be the third-largest gem in the world 

Initial examinations have indicated that it is the third largest tanzanite gemstone recovered by TanzaniteOne and thought to be the third largest tanzanite stone ever found worldwide. The gemstone will now undergo analysis, including colour and clarity grading. The stone is expected to contain a significant ‘A’ grade component under the tanzanite classification system. It will most likely be divided into smaller but still exceptionally sized pieces to be cut and polished at the company's own state of the art, in-house cutting facility which was commissioned in December 2010 at the TanzaniteOne mine site.


Bernard Olivier, TanzaniteOne’s chief executive, said: “This is an extremely exciting discovery for TanzaniteOne and is further evidence of the continued quality of gemstone that is to be found at depth in this unique part of Africa and indeed the world. Whilst we await the results of expert analysis on this significant discovery, we will continue to realise the potential of our mine, which produced a total of US$15.8 million in sales for 2010.”


Our thanks to Stockopedia News