Description of JEWELRY By Birth Date

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Birthday Stones. peridot

The birthstone for August, peridot is also the recommended gem for couples celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary. In the gemstone trade it is called 'peridot', derived from the Greek word peridot, which means something like 'to give richness'. Its fine pistachio to olive green is the perfect complement to a fresh, light summer wardrobe.

Found in various shades of green, peridot is most prized in lime hues. The Romans called peridot "evening emerald" because its green color was said to glow at night. Peridot was also used to decorate medieval churches and was most likely carried back to Europe by the Crusaders. Large peridots of more than 200 carats in size adorn the shrine of the three magi at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany.

The ancients believed that peridot had the power to ward off evil spirits, nightmares and enchantments. Peridot is also used as a medical remedy to treat asthma and other ailments. Peridot's power was considered most potent when the stone was set in gold. Peridot was also said to strengthen any medicine drunk from goblets carved from the stone. Peridot, the gem form of the mineral olivine, traces its jewelry roots back more than 3,500 years. It was first mined by the ancient Egyptians on the island of Zebargad in the Red Sea. Zebargad was known as the "serpent isle" because it was infested with snakes that interfered with mining activity until one Pharaoh finally had them all driven into the sea.