The August birthstone is Peridot
Anyone born in August has Peridot, Spinel as their birthstone, all three being recognised in the modern list. The stone is typically olive green. The older traditional list gives Sardonyx instead.
What is the birthstone for August?
Peridot, and since the list was extended, Spinel as well. Any of them is correct, which is mostly a convenience: it gives a wider range of prices and colours for the same month.
Why are there two different August birthstones?
Because there are two lists. The traditional stones descend from much older European and Middle Eastern associations, which varied by region and never fully agreed. The modern list was fixed in 1912 by the American jewellery trade to end that confusion, and it replaced Sardonyx with Peridot for August. Both are defensible; the modern one is what shops use. Lists in other countries differ again, so a British, Indian or Japanese list may not match this one.
What colour is the August birthstone?
Peridot is olive green. Natural stones vary considerably in tone and saturation, so two stones of the same type can look quite different, and colour alone is not a reliable way to identify one.
Questions
- What is the birthstone for August?
- Peridot, Spinel.
- What colour is it?
- Peridot is olive green.
- What is the August birth flower?
- Gladiolus.
- Does the birthstone depend on the day, not just the month?
- No. Birthstones are assigned by calendar month, so every date in August shares the same stone.