Peridot - à Clef

Peridot is a gem quality olivine that is always olive green, varying in shade from yellow green to an intense green to a brownish or muddied green due to the amount of iron a given sample contains. That middle green color is most sought after, as are larger gem quality stones. Large peridot is rare and costly.

Those born in August count peridot as their birthstone. As do I. I was always disappointed as a kid. I wanted diamond, ruby, or sapphire. One of the biggies. Or if it had to be green, why couldn’t it be emerald?

Tastes change, and mine certainly have. Now I love peridot. The olivine in forsterite is found all over the world, but not all of it is peridot. Peridot counts as a precious gemstone because it is rarely found in large enough crystals or of high enough quality to cut for jewelry. The Smithsonian has some astounding examples of large peridot.

If someone tries to sell you a large, very clear, deep green peridot at a ridiculously good price, it’s probably glass or dyed quartz. The best way to determine if a stone is a fake is to use a jeweler’s loupe to examine the stone. You can get information to help you learn about peridot at the International Gem Society. They provide several free buying guides for the most desirable gemstones.

See our peridot jewelry here: https://bit.ly/3BNoeHs