Birthstones >
August
Peridot is a yellow-green semi-precious stone with an oily lustre.
It is a transparent, green form of Olivine that has been found in meteorites that have fallen to earth. Born out of fire, this green gem is found in volcanic rock. The name Peridot is thought to derive from the French word meaning unclear and also from the Arabic word faridat meaning gem.
Peridot was mined in ancient Egypt on an island called Zeberget. Mining was done at night because legend said that Peridot could not be easily seen during the day. The island was infested with serpents, which made mining a very hazardous occupation until one Pharaoh finally had all the serpents driven into the sea. It only comes in green colours varying from yellowy green to rich bottle green.
The proportion of iron in the mineral determines the shade. The more iron the browner the colour. The most attractive and sought-after peridots are rich green. Today most peridot is mined in Arizona on the San Carlos Reservation. Fine large peridots are found in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and also China and Sri Lanka. The Romans called peridot "evening emerald," since its green colour did not darken at night but was still visible by lamplight. Peridot was later often used to decorate mediaeval churches, probably carried back to Europe by the Crusaders.
Large peridots, more than 200 carats in size, adorn the shrine of the three magi at the Cologne Cathedral. Peridot was said to have the power to drive away evil spirits and the power was considered to be even more intense when the stone was set in gold. It was also said to strengthen the power of any medicine drunk from goblets carved from it. The peridots used in today's jewellery are usually small cut gems making up delicate earrings, necklaces and bracelets.
Hardness 6.5 to 7