Subscribe to Feed
August Birthstone: Peridot, from Earth or from Space
Hailing from the olivine group of minerals, the peridot is a mysterious and thought-provoking gem. Peridot was valued in many ancient and medieval cultures, first in the second century BC in priests’ jewelry and later in the chalices and churches of medieval Europe. Peridot has also been used for centuries as a protective talisman, shielding the owner from evil spirits and “terrors of the night.”
Today, the gem is highly desired because of its range of colors, from brownish or yellowish green to greenish yellow—making peridot one of the very few gemstones that occur in olive green naturally. The differing shades of green are indicative of different levels of iron present in the stone. The color is especially exuberant because of its transparency, causing light to catch even in the dimmest surroundings and earning it the name “the evening emerald” and, as the Egyptians called it, the “gem of the sun”. However, peridot’s mythical nature goes further than warding off evil spirits.
While most peridot is found in lava rock deposits, the rarest form of this gem can be found in meteorites, making it the only matter from outer space that can be used as a gemstone. This form of peridot comes from meteorites called pallasites, which are iron-rich. One of the enthralling qualities of these particular gems is the notion that the origins of the extraterrestrial stone are completely unknown.
Today, when the stone isn’t found in meteorites, peridot can most commonly be found in Myanmar, Pakistan, Norway and the United States, particularly Arizona. It has also been found in Ethiopia and the Antarctic. Its original occurrence, the island of Zabargad in the Red Sea, is no longer producing. Arizona’s cache of the stone, often found in brownish-green hues, is important to the Apaches as an income revenue. Peridots are normally available in faceted or table shapes, usually cut congruent to the crystal’s natural structure, and can be calibrated up to about 5 carats. This exquisite gemstone can also be used for bead necklaces and bracelets when tumbled and faceted.
Peridot is not a very hard gem (with a hardness of 6.5-7), and cannot take hard wear, so it is not recommended for use in rings if the rings are going to be worn everyday. Peridot can also be damaged by acid and long-term exposure to perspiration. Cleaning peridot is a delicate process. Never use a steam cleaner or ultrasonic cleaner, as peridot is vulnerable to thermal shock. Instead, warm, soapy water is recommended for cleaning. In the July 2002 JCK article titled Peridot, Gary Roskin also noted that “dust should be washed off before wiping with a soft cloth to prevent scratching and dulling the surface polish”.
Already own a piece with peridot? You can obtain a GIA Colored Stone Identification Report, providing you with a complete gemological examination of your specific stone.