A little about Peridot, The Birthstone of August.
Peridot is believed to be one of the most ancient gems as it is among the first gemstones to have been discovered by ancient Egyptians. The first-ever peridot was discovered in Topazios, an island in the Red Sea, now known as St John’s Island, and it has a great spiritual significance in Egypt
Prized for its refreshing green hue, Peridot is a gemstone loved and cherished by connoisseurs around the globe. This ravishing gemstone can be finished in several different cuts, shapes and sizes and its absolute clarity unlike many other gemstones makes it even more luxurious and coveted than it already is. Accentuating the sparkling, summery golden green of the gemstone, will enchant you forever. A fun fact about Peridot is that it is found not only on the surface of the earth but beyond. It was discovered on the surface of Mars by NASA and has also been found in the meteorites that landed on the Earth’s surface from deep space.
In the present day, Arizona, Afghanistan, China, Myanmar, Africa, Australia, Egypt, Pakistan, Mexico and the USA are leading producers of Peridot.
The gem is found in varying hues of yellowish-green, parrot green and also in pure green at times.
History and its lure
Peridot’s enchanting and refreshing green hue has been treasured for over 4000 years and also found its presence in the Bible. Peridot was originally referred to as Chrysolite because it often possesses gold flashes within it. The name Chrysolite was derived from the ancient Greek word ‘Chrysolithos’ which means Golden Stone. This gemstone along with Lapis and a few others have been a part of Egyptian jewels from as early as 2000 BC. Its usage in Egyptian jewels was so abundant that historians believe that many emeralds worn by Queen Cleopatra were actually Peridots. Not just Egyptians but the ancient Romans were also mesmerised by its lustrous beauty and its seeming ability to glow in the dark.
FAQs
What's the birthstone for August?
The birthstone for the month of August is Peridot. Its name has been derived from the Arabic word for a gem ‘Faridat’. Peridot has a zesty green colour which is because of the proximity of iron trace elements in it. This gorgeous stone has been uplifting jewels from as early as 2000 BC. This ravishing gemstone can be finished in several different cuts, shapes and sizes; its absolute clarity makes it even more luxurious and coveted than it already is.
Where does peridot come from?
The ancient Hawaiians believed these stones were the tears of the goddess Pele brought to the surface by volcanoes. As a matter of fact, Peridot was found at various locations on earth but even beyond. It was discovered on the surface of Mars by NASA and has also been found in the meteorites that landed on the Earth’s surface from deep space. In the present day, Arizona, Afghanistan, China, Myanmar, Africa, Australia, Egypt, Pakistan, Mexico and the USA are leading producers of Peridot.
How to pronounce peridot?
The right way to pronounce Peridot is “Pear-a-doe”. It is often wrongly pronounced as “Perry-dot” or even “perry-doe”.
Is peridot a birthstone?
Yes, Peridot is believed to have properties that makes it a birthstone for the month of August. According to many ancient beliefs, Peridots have been credited with properties that make them powerful enough to protect their wearer during the night. This belief held great value in ancient times as the lively appearance of the peridot and its seeming ability to glow in the dark fostered ancient associations between the sun and itself. It was said and believed that keeping the stone close during dark hours repelled nighttime evil spirits. It symbolises strength and was often worn to ward off evil spirits, nightmares and repercussions of evil enchantments.
How old is Peridot from steven universe?
The mesmerising Peridot is among the very first precious gemstones to have been discovered. It is said to be 172,720 days old. In other words, according to many archeologists & historians, it is about 472 years, 10 months, and 21 days old.
How much is a peridot gem worth?
Peridot, like almost all precious stones is measured in carats. Therefore like all precious stones, the price of each peridot is calculated based on its carat weight. The prices of all precious gemstones vary with respect to their colour, cuts and clarity. Generally a normal quality Peridot costs between $50 and $80 USD per carat while the same one carat peridot can cost upto $400 and $450 USD if it is of a superior quality.
As stated above, the colour of a gemstone plays a very important role in determining its quality and superiority. And therefore it is one of the factors that define peridot’s price. Gemstone specimens that demonstrate a rich olive-green colour are of the highest value and are more expensive than lighter stones with a lighter green tone or a yellow hue.
How to care for Peridot jewellery?
We spend a lot on our jewels and therefore it is crusial that we take care of these pieves to increase their kife and flawlessness. By caring we mean taking all precautions ike keep your jewellery away from directly coming in contact with alcohol and perfume and cleaning it gently from time to time to maintain the newness as well as the sine of both the metal and gemstones that you see encrusted.
It is also important that you have a basic knowlegde of the gemstone along with its basic physical properties before you choose to bring it home. For exampke when one looks a the Moh’s scale of hardness, Peridots comes out to be quite softr than other precious gemstones like Diamonds, Rubies, Emeralds and Sapphires as a result your peridots may get scratched which is why we advice our clients to store them seperately
Hot water, extreme heat, fire, acid are a few things that may damage a Peridot and shuld be kept at bay. Extreme or prolonged exposure to direct sunlight may also potentially cause damage the gemstone.
How to clean peridot
The best way to clean Peridot jewelry is to do it gently with a solution of warm water and mild soap. You could leave your jewellery dipped in this solution for a few minutes and then in a bowl of plain filtered water. Further pat it dry with a lint-free, soft, non-abrasive cloth or jewellery cloth. Once the above processes are followed, be sure to wrapped in a soft cloth or a gelatin pouch and then place it in a jewelry box.
Are peridot stones expensive
Peridot is understood to be a gemstone that is not low priced but is also not too expensive which is the reason why it is considered to fall under the category of semi-precious stones. It is found around the globe easily although the highest quality is still hard to find. Even Having said that it’s more commonly found as compared to an Emerald.
Is olivine the same as peridot?
To understand the above, we must understand both individually. The name Olivine represents a group of minerals that come together to ensure making of a certain rock formation. On the Mohs hardness scale, Olivine ranks between 6.5 and 7.0. They usually occur on the surfaces of igneous rocks such as peridotite, gabbro, dunite, diabase and basalt and also in dark igneous rocks along divergent plate boundaries. Higher concentrations of olivine can be found in rocks such as dunite in the lowest parts of magma chambers. Olivine is usually olive green, yellow-green, or bright green in colour.
It is popular amongst people due to it being the mineral form of the popular gem peridot. The mineral, Olivine has one of the highest crystallisation temperatures and is one of the first to change its form and get crystallised from magma.
Peridot is believed to be one of the most ancient gems as it is among the first gemstones to have been discovered by ancient Egyptians. The first-ever peridot was discovered in Topazios, an island in the Red Sea, now known as St John’s Island, and it has a great spiritual significance in Egypt.
Prized for its refreshing green hue, Peridot is a gemstone loved and cherished by connoisseurs around the globe. This ravishing gemstone can be finished in several different cuts, shapes and sizes and its absolute clarity unlike many other gemstones makes it even more luxurious and coveted than it already is.
How to tell if peridot is real?
Peridot hasn’t been created in a lab yet although there are certain fake ones that are made in glass in a way that make them look like real Peridots. Peridot is a slightly softer metal as compared to other precious gemstones. To ensure that the peridot is genuine, we suggest you purchase it from a reliable source. You could also get it tested in a specialised gemological testing lab.
Peridots usually have a fresh olive green colour, with a tinge of yellow. Colours other than the ones mentioned above shouldn’t be there. If at all there are any other colours, it would be better to get the stone tested as it might not be genuine.
You could also hold the Peridot against light to witness a double ray of light inside it, in case that doesn’t happen and instead the stone has just a single ray of light getting refracted, it would mean that the peridot isn’t authentic.
