The Colorful Birthstones of August

Those born in August have the pleasure of claiming a world of color for their birthstones. The lively green of peridot befits the transition from summer to fall. And spinel’s hues—ranging from peachy pink to red, purple to blue, orange, and black—make it one of the most rainbow-tastic gemstones out there, each color as gorgeous as the next.

Peridot is experiencing a surge in popularity, with consumers seeking bright, buoyant colors to keep the mood happy and high. This gemstone fits the description perfectly in its brightness, but it has two sides: at once ebullient and sweet, the stone is equally sophisticated, and, when in the right setting, can emit a mysterious, soul-stirring vibe. Readily available in your standard birthstone jewelry, it really shines in big, one-of-a-kind pieces where its color gets a boost from its size.

You won’t find quite the same shade of green in August’s birthstone counterpart, spinel—but you might find just about everything else. In purply blue, it’s a look like no other. In red, it could be confused for ruby to the untrained eye but offers a typically more affordable option with an irresistible glow that ruby doesn’t tend to possess. Some spinels even show more than one color—a double whammy of beauty for those fortunate to get their hands on it.

Here, a demonstration of how spectacularly lucky August babies are to have peridot and spinel as their birthstones.

Hoop earrings in 14k and green electro plating with peridot, price on request; Shula New York 

Gypsy ring in 18k yellow gold with spinel, $8,625; Lauren K

Ring in yellow gold with peridot, price on request; Breuning

Hoop earrings in gold-plated silver with black spinel, $193; Jorge Revilla

Necklace in yellow gold with peridot, $160; Anatoli

Earrings in 18k yellow gold with peridot, price on request; Maramenos & Pateras

Ring in 14k rose gold with 3.1 ct. trillion peridot and diamonds, price on request; Gemcolorz

Mid Century Modern inspired pendant in sterling silver with peridot, $175; Zina Sterling Silver

Popcorn petite gem pendant in 14k yellow gold with peridot, $440; Phillip Gavriel

Three-stone ring in 18k rose gold with 6.17 ct. cushion purple spinel, 1.7 cts. t.w. cushion pink sapphires, 0.11 ct. t.w. round pink sapphires, and 1.14 cts. t.w. diamonds, $38,000; Omi Privé

Pendant in 18k yellow gold with 0.26 ct. Asscher-cut gray spinel, 0.06 ct. t.w. gray diamonds, and 0.16 ct. t.w. diamonds, $1,915; Sloane Street

Ring in 18k yellow gold with peridot and diamonds, $2,915; Lolovivi

Bangle in sterling silver and 14k yellow gold with peridot and 0.18 ct. t.w. diamonds, $3,375; Vahan

Ring in 18k yellow gold with peridot, price on request; Fratelli Bovo

Ring in sterling silver and 22k vermeil with peridot, $245; Michou

Initial pendant in gold-plated sterling silver with spinel and CZ, price on request; Crislu

Ring in 14k yellow gold with 1.37 ct. peridot and 1.33 ct. white topaz, price on request; Mondrian Collection

One-of-a-kind ring in 18k gold with spinel and diamonds, price on request; 18 Carat House

Earrings in 14k yellow gold with 2.6 cts. t.w. peridot and 0.08 ct. t.w. diamonds, $930; Artistry, Ltd.

Ring in 14k yellow gold with cushion peridot and 0.25 ct. t.w. diamonds, $1,045; Carl K Gumpert

Ring in 18k white gold with 28.1 ct. oval peridot and 10.41 cts. t.w. blue zircon, price on request; Dilamani

Earrings in 24k gold vermeil with black spinel, $240; Joyla Jewelry

Signature pendant in 18k white and yellow gold with peridot, citrine, and diamonds, $6,650; John Atencio