Collecting your birthstone is a great way to start to becoming a gem collector. One way many people begin is by selling old jewelry they aren’t wearing any more. Sell to a qualified buyer who knows the value of stones and metals, and ask for advice about where to start collecting.

August has two birthstones for collecting: peridot stones and sardonyx.

Peridot Stones

Peridot facts:

• Peridot is mentioned in ancient writings and was prized for its unique green color.
• Hawaiians believe that peridot stones represent the tears of Pele, goddess of fire.
• In 1245 Bishop John bequeathed a peridot ring to St. Alban’s Abbey, which was believed to have powers to cure disease.
• Peridot stones are believed to prevent nightmares, ward off depression, bring the wearer influence and power, help those born in August avoid envy and bring friendship.

Peridot is a form of olivine formed in volcanic rock. While olivine is abundant, gem quality stones are rare. Peridot crystals grow in irregular cleavage, making it hard to facet. The most desired deep olive green stones are very rare.

Peridot stones range from almost yellow to greenish brown, depending on how much iron is present. The bright lime green stones are popular in jewelry.

When collecting peridot:

• Look for rare larger stones - these are more valuable.
• Pay attention to colot. The dark olive green stones are more valuable.
• Seek advice from a qualified jeweler.

Sardonyx Stones

Sardonyx is an interestingly beautiful stone. It has a layered or banded appearance of creamy stripes winding through deep red stone. Because of its layered structure, ancient Greeks and Romans favored sardonyx for carving cameos and other bas-relief art, where one colored layer is used as a foreground and another carved as a background.

Sardonyx is actually a form of quartz, though the crystals are too small to see. It is part of the group of stones in the chalcedony family. They colored layers are onyx and sard, a form of carnelian and named for the Turkish city of Sardis.

Sardonyx is believed to bring the wearer relaxation and calm. It is also believed to bring its owner security.

When collecting sardonyx:

• Look for unique or intricate banding patterns.
• Look for more contrast in colors – light creams and deep reds.
• The size is not important – choose something that you love wearing.