There is nothing that August-born – who represent the Leo and Virgo sun signs – cannot achieve. They have strong personalities with confidence in their life choices. If you see, peridot and spinel, August’s birthstones, toe a similar line. Though sidelined for years, they have re-surfaced with their unique capabilities to offer spellbinding jewelry in recent times. And we are in awe!
Spin with spinel
Always confused with ruby, owing to their similar deep red shade, spinel has made history, but slowly and slyly. The British Imperial State Crown, for example, holds the Black Prince’s Ruby, which was later discovered to be a 170-carat spinel instead. Even the Austrian Imperial Crown has a large spinel, which was believed to be a ruby until the 19th century.
But who’s having the last laugh? As ruby prices soar, spinel is gaining foot – not as an alternative to ruby, mind you – but as a similar stone that can rock that daring look. The 50.13 carat Hope Spinel, in fact, was auctioned by Bonhams in 2015, for $1.47 million – at a staggering rate of almost $30,000 per carat!
International high jewelry houses have recently started putting spinel front and center. From Bvlgari’s Imperial Spinel Necklace to Cartier. These heritage jewelry houses proudly strut their wares in spinel. Roshni Jhaveri, co-founder of Studio Renn, says, “When it comes to larger rubies (due to its rarity and therefore price) we always also show and encourage collectors to collect a great quality and pure RED color spinel instead of compromising for a mediocre quality and too-deep or a pinkish-red ruby – both from a collectible point of view and having the freedom then to have a more innovative approach with design for the piece as well. Rubies are often treated too seriously and stay in a more classic design space.”
Not just red spinel, black spinel is increasingly finding a space in high jewelry collection as well. Yes, spinel, like sapphire, comes in multiples hues of purple, blue and black as well. Fundamentally a translucent stone, spinel gets its colors owing to the impurities – like chromium, iron and cobalt – inside. Spinels, therefore, offer a lot of opportunity to play around with them.
Pear, parrot, peridot
In a world full of diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, the lime-green peridot has often been overlooked as a serious gemstone. But if you think it’s some Gen Z or Gen Alpha fad, you couldn’t be more mistaken. It was, in fact, Cleopatra’s favorite stone.
Monikered as the ‘Gem of the Sun’ by the Egyptians, Cleopatra often wore peridot, though many travelers in that era mistook it as emerald. At the time, peridot was mostly found on Topazo Island (now Zabargad or St. John’s Island) in the Egyptian Red Sea.
In ancient times, peridot was believed to ward off evil, thus making it even more precious. Island habitants, who were forced to collect the gems for the Pharaoh’s treasury, would work in the day, and even at night, as the gems could be found even in the dark due to their radiance.
Today, peridot is found in more locations across the world, including America (Arkansas, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii), Australia, Kenya, China, Brazil, Myanmar, Pakistan, South Africa, Tanzania and Sri Lanka. Peridot crystals have even been found in pallasite meteorites – one of which was famously auctioned by Christie’s in 2020.
Returning to Earth, peridot is increasingly finding favor as a beautiful, ethereal stone that can assume any style – imperial or funky or elegant – depending on the setting. Just like spinel, even peridot was mistaken as emerald for a very long period. But as awareness increases, celebrities are now adopting peridot to stand out, and jewelers are creating enchanting, modern pieces that highlight the stone’s core beauty.
Esshitha Guna of Andal Gems & Jewels says, “There has definitely been an increase in the purchase of peridot in recent times. Consumers are now more aware of the gemstone and are seeking the fresh pop of lime green color that it inhibits. The vibrant gemstone set in a jewel is a perfect fit for a holiday, or simply to brighten up your jewelry chest.” The recent brat green trend has given a further push to peridot.
Both spinel and peridot are no longer masqueraders, but vivid, credible stones in their own right. From Boucheron’s Joy De Lumiere timepiece and Van Cleef & Arpels’ Ocella ring, to Akansha Sethi’s elvish earcuffs and Sunchin’s graceful teardrop earrings, both spinel and peridots have a long, stable journey ahead.
Featured image on top: Actress Anya Taylor-Joy wearing the Ray of Light necklace from Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Book 2024 collection.
