Toggle Nav
Peridot the birthstone for August and the traditional gemstone gifted for 16 years of marriage. Peridot is a word that comes from the Arabic ‘faridat’ which means ‘gem’. Well known for being formed under extreme conditions. It can be found in hardened larva that carried it from deep within the earths mantle as well as in meteorites that travelled from space. We don’t think that there could possibly be a more extreme way of forming a beautiful gemstone. Peridot is generally a green to yellowish green gem; however, the finest colour is green without any hint of yellow or brown. Throughout history this stunning stone was something confused with the likes of topaz and emerald. So much so, that The Shrine of the Three Holy Kings in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral is decorated with 200 carats of gems that were believed to be emeralds but are actually Peridot.
Gem quality specimen of the mineral Olivine are called Peridot. Peridot’s chemical composition is a Magnesium Iron Silicate, but instead of Iron being the colour causing mineral, it is part of its chemical composition and forming in the Orthorhombic crystal structure. Meaning Peridot is a Silicate of Iron and Magnesium. Often forming in volcanic rocks called basalt, miners find it as irregular nodules in some lava flows in the US, China, & Vietnam where crystals are very rarely more than 1ct in weight. It is also one of the only gems found in the world which has originated from outer space, in the form of a meteorite that fell to the ground in the US state of Kentucky. These extra-terrestrial stones are extremely rare, and you’re not likely to see it in a retail store. These often-become mineralogists collector stones.
Please ensure that you take your Peridot jewellery to a professional and experienced jewellers for any repairs. Steam cleaners also are not recommended for cleaning, merely warm water with a mild detergent. This gemstone is better suited for wearing as pendants & earrings. In addition, Peridot is one of very few gems on the market that can boast its lack of heat treatment.
Most commercial quality gems come from Arizona in the US & China. Commercial quality stones typically have a predominant yellow tone or patches/tones of brown and can be quite included, however normally transparent. The finer quality stones often come from Myanmar formerly Burma and more recently from a source high in the Himalayas of Pakistan. These are often much larger stones and are virtually transparent, described as “a cutters dream”.
We have found some information on Peridot that you may find interesting...