2027 Forecast

July 23 – August 22 · Fire

Leo birthstones

Leo carries Peridot and Onyx in the zodiac tradition.

US births under Leo
8.96% rank 1 of 12 signs
Born in August
71.2% of Leo births
Fine for a daily ring
1 of 2 Onyx

US SSA births 2000–2014 (FiveThirtyEight); our gemstone reference.

More on Leo: the Leo sign, Leo horoscope today and Leo compatibility.

The signs either side: Cancer birthstones and Virgo birthstones.

Leo Birthstone: Peridot and Onyx and What They Mean

Peridot

Composition Magnesium iron silicate ((Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄) — gem-quality olivine
Hardness · System 6.5–7 · Orthorhombic

Peridot arrives on Earth in meteorites — pallasite meteorites carry gem-quality crystals formed beyond this planet.

Traditionally linked to lightness, release of resentment and fresh perspective.

Onyx

Composition Banded chalcedony
Hardness · System 6.5–7 · Trigonal

Most solid black onyx is dyed gray chalcedony. Naturally uniform black onyx is scarce.

Traditionally linked to discipline, endurance and holding a boundary.

The reasoning

Why Leo gets Peridot and Onyx

Leo is ruled by the Sun, and peridot has long been called the "evening emerald" because its golden green keeps its glow under lamplight — a stone that shines after dark, as Leo likes to. It forms deep inside the Earth and reaches the surface in volcanic rock, a fitting origin for a fire sign. Onyx is the counterweight: black, polished and composed, it stands for the self-control a proud and generous sign needs most. One stone for the spotlight, one for the composure to handle it.

Other stones often given to Leo

Citrine Tiger's Eye Amber

Two systems, one birth date

Leo spans 2 calendar months, so you have more than one birthstone

Zodiac stones Peridot, Onyx
Months it covers July and August
Stones of those months Ruby, Peridot, Spinel
In both systems Peridot

July 23 – August 22 — so the sign opens in one month and closes in another. Why the two lists never line up → · The monthly chart →

Most Leo birthdays fall in August, so a jeweler working from the monthly chart will usually hand this sign Peridot, the August stone: only 9 of its days are in July. Births follow the calendar closely here: in 2000–2014, July took 28.8% of the sign’s US births for 29.0% of its days.

Onyx appears in neither the modern nor the traditional monthly list — one of just four such stones across the twelve signs.

July Ruby August Peridot, Spinel

The stones themselves

Stone Mohs Crystal system Main sources
Peridot 6.5–7 Orthorhombic Pakistan, Myanmar, USA (Arizona)
Onyx 6.5–7 Trigonal Brazil, India, Madagascar

Peridot (6.5–7) can be worn often with care around acid and sudden changes of temperature; Onyx (6.5–7) is easy to wear every day — it is tough for its hardness and needs only warm soapy water. What the scale means →

Leo birthstones on the Mohs hardness scale
Leo birthstones on the Mohs hardness scaleMohs scale with the Leo zodiac stones (Peridot 6.5–7, Onyx 6.5–7) filled and the stones of its calendar months outlined.Peridot: Mohs 6.5–7Peridot 6.5–7Onyx: Mohs 6.5–7Onyx 6.5–7Ruby: Mohs 9Ruby 9Spinel: Mohs 8Spinel 8Garnet: Mohs 6.5–7.5Amethyst: Mohs 7Citrine: Mohs 7Rose Quartz: Mohs 7Clear Quartz: Mohs 7Smoky Quartz: Mohs 7Aquamarine: Mohs 7.5–8Emerald: Mohs 7.5–8Bloodstone: Mohs 6.5–7Peridot: Mohs 6.5–7Sardonyx: Mohs 6.5–7Zircon: Mohs 6–7.5Carnelian: Mohs 6.5–7Onyx: Mohs 6.5–7Agate: Mohs 6.5–7Tiger's Eye: Mohs 6.5–7Aventurine: Mohs 6.5–7Diamond: Mohs 10Pearl: Mohs 2.5–4.5Alexandrite: Mohs 8.5Moonstone: Mohs 6–6.5Labradorite: Mohs 6–6.5Pyrite: Mohs 6–6.5Ruby: Mohs 9Sapphire: Mohs 9Spinel: Mohs 8Topaz: Mohs 8Opal: Mohs 5.5–6.5Rhodonite: Mohs 5.5–6.5Tourmaline: Mohs 7–7.5Turquoise: Mohs 5–6Lapis Lazuli: Mohs 5–6Hematite: Mohs 5–6Tanzanite: Mohs 6–7Jade: Mohs 6–7Obsidian: Mohs 5–5.5Malachite: Mohs 3.5–4Amber: Mohs 2–2.5Selenite: Mohs 2Fluorite: Mohs 4Sodalite: Mohs 5.5–6Kyanite: Mohs 4.5–7Lepidolite: Mohs 2.5–31Talc2Gypsum3Calcite4Fluorite5Apatite6Orthoclase7Quartz8Topaz9Corundum10Diamondfingernail 2.5window glass 5.5household dust (quartz) 7Source: Mohs scale minerals · ranges from our 43-stone referenceastrohot.com
Leo birthstones on the Mohs hardness scaleMohs scale with the Leo zodiac stones (Peridot 6.5–7, Onyx 6.5–7) filled and the stones of its calendar months outlined.Peridot: Mohs 6.5–7Peridot 6.5–7Onyx: Mohs 6.5–7Onyx 6.5–7Ruby: Mohs 9Ruby 9Spinel: Mohs 8Spinel 81Talc2Gypsum3Calcite4Fluorite5Apatite6Orthoclase7Quartz8Topaz9Corundum10Diamondfingernail 2.5glass 5.5dust 7Source: Mohs scale minerals · ranges from our 43-stone referenceastrohot.com

Leo’s zodiac stones: Peridot 6.5–7, Onyx 6.5–7. The July and August month stones it also covers: Ruby 9, Spinel 8. Ruby and Spinel stay at 7 or harder across their whole range, so dust cannot scratch them.

Cite this page

AstroHot. “Leo Birthstone: Peridot and Onyx and What They Mean.” Accessed October 27, 2026. https://astrohot.com/birthstones/by-zodiac/leo/

For Wikipedia {{cite web |title=Leo Birthstone: Peridot and Onyx and What They Mean |url=https://astrohot.com/birthstones/by-zodiac/leo/ |website=AstroHot |access-date=2026-10-27}}