august birthstone: peridot

I love a good pop of green (as illustrated by my company logo). peridot, the august birthstone, is a gorgeous, rich olive green. 

the gemstone is believed to symbolize strength and posses healing powers.

peridot is often found in lava deposits and meteorites.

the largest cut peridot in the world is 310 carats and is on display at the smithsonian.

my handmade maisie freshwater pearl and peridot necklace, available exclusively on artissano.com

august birthstone: peridot

peridot, an olive green gemstone, is the traditional august birthstone. "peridot" comes from the arabic word "faridat", meaning gem. egyptian priests used to drink from cups made of peridot to bring them closer to the goddess of nature, isis. peridot is also believed to symbolize vitality.

the best quality peridot is mined in myanmar. recently, peridot deposits have been found in pakistan. and peridot can also be found in lava or meteorites (some black sand beaches contain peridot deposits--so much better than searching for seashells!).

the color of peridot is also a very popular these days and is featured in the fall 2011 chanel nail polish collection

sneak peek: peridot will be featured in my spring 2012 collection!