Peridot gemstone jewelry Peridot facts

Peridot Gemstone Facts

Peridot is perhaps derived from the French word peritot which means unclear, probably due to the inclusions and cloudy nature of large stones. It could also be named from the Arabic word faridat which means gem. In either case, peridot has been mined as a gemstone for an estimated four thousand years or better, and is mentioned in the Bible under the Hebrew name of pitdah. Peridot gems along with other gems were probably used in the fabled Breastplates of the Jewish High Priest, artifacts that have never been found.Peridot is the child of volcanic action, crystals are sometimes combed from the black sands of Hawaii. It is abundant and available in larger sizes
Peridot (gem quality forsterite); Size: faceted stone, 146 carats; largest crystal, 4.5 by 3.5 cm; Locality: Zabargad (St. John’s Island), Red Sea, Egypt.

Like other gems, peridot was believed to offer special powers to the wearer. Marbodei mentioned in De Lapidibus that peridot would dispel the terrors of the night: “If it were to be used as a protection from the wiles of evil spirits, the stone had to be pierced and strung on the hair of an ass and then attached to the left arm.” In the Middle Ages, the belief persisted that peridot would dissolve enchantments and put evil spirits to flight. Most of the world production of peridot comes from Arizona while peridot from Myanmar, Pakistan and Egypt is more rare and finer quality.

Two different peridots, illustrating the importance of clarity. The stone at left is heavily included, while that at right has far better clarity. The best-colored peridot has an iron percentage of less than 15% and includes nickel and chromium as trace elements. It is not clear whether the word peridot comes from the Arabic word faridat, which means gem or if it is derived from the French word peritot which means unclear. In the 18th century, the French were the first to call this yellowish-green stone peridot.

Clarity. Since peridot is not a particularly expensive stone, eye-clean clarity is the standard. Burmese gems are often marred by small platelet inclusions, which may give some stones a sleepy appearance. The strong birefringence (0.036) of peridot can also give stones a slightly sleepy look. This is most pronounced in large stones (10 cts. plus).

Only imagination limits the cuts and shapes applied to peridot, with everything from stunning fantasy cuts to tumbled beads being seen. Again, because it is not terribly expensive, cutters can focus on beauty more than weight retention. This means that good cutting, proportions and symmetry are to be expected. Stay away from misshapen native cut gems, unless they are cheap enough to recut to good proportions.A silicate of magnesium and iron.

Common in early Greek and Roman jewelry, Peridot has been popular since about 1500 BC when the Egyptians started mining it on Zebirget (St. John's Island), a Red Sea island about 50 miles off the Egyptian coast. Known by the ancient Egyptians as the "gem of the sun", Peridot was believed to possess the power to break evil spells. During the Middle Ages, people wore Peridot to gain foresight and divine inspiration.

Gem quality peridot comes from Arizona, Burma, Norway, islands in the Red Sea, Hawaii and is sometimes found in meteorites. It's been mined as a gemstone for thousands of years, and is mentioned in the Bible under the name of Chrysolite. Legend says that peridot was one of the favorite gemstones of Cleopatra and that some of the "emeralds" worn by her were actually peridot.

It is thought to bring the wearer good luck, peace, and success,. Its powers include health, protection, and sleep. The advantages of peridot are to attract love and calm anger while also soothing nerves and dispelling negative emotions.
Peridot: Never use mechanical or chemical cleaners. Simply use a soapy water solution.