Birth Month

August

August 1 – August 31 · Fire (Leo period); Earth (Virgo period from August 23) · Sun (Leo), Mercury (Virgo from August 23)

Traditional BirthstoneSardonyx (in ancient Roman, Hebrew, and Christian traditions); Carnelian (in some Hindu traditions); also Alexandrite in some 19th-century Russian lists

Modern BirthstonePeridot / Spinel (spinel added 2016)

ElementFire (Leo period); Earth (Virgo period from August 23)

Ruling PlanetSun (Leo), Mercury (Virgo from August 23)

Associated crystals

PeridotOpen in the Dictionary SardonyxOpen in the Dictionary SpinelOpen in the Dictionary CarnelianOpen in the Dictionary TopazOpen in the Dictionary

Associated herbs

MintOpen in the Dictionary FrankincenseOpen in the Dictionary MarigoldOpen in the Dictionary SunflowerOpen in the Dictionary LavenderOpen in the Dictionary

Source Tradition

A significant divergence: sardonyx—layered sard and onyx, prized in ancient Rome for seals and cameos—was August's traditional birthstone. It appears in Exodus 28 as 'shebo' (sometimes translated as beryl or agate). The 1912 Jewelers of America list replaced sardonyx with peridot (olivine), a transparent green gem. Spinel was added as a third August option in 2016 by AGTA and Jewelers of America—the first addition in over 60 years—reflecting growing market interest in fine Burmese and Tajik spinel. Sardonyx remains recognized in some British traditional lists.

Exodus 28:19; George Frederick Kunz, The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, 1913; Jewelers of America, 1912; AGTA/Jewelers of America, 2016 update—DIVERGENCE NOTED: Traditional sardonyx replaced by peridot; spinel added 2016Explore sourcing notes in the Appendix