August's Peridot "Gem of the Sun"

Along with sardonyx, peridot is the US birthstone for August. Affordable and plentiful, the world's largest source for peridot is Arizona's San Carlos Indian Reservation. Other producing countries are Myanmar (Burma) and Pakistan. There is also extraterrestrial peridot that is extremely rare and came to the earth in meteorites - most people will never see this type of peridot.

The word "peridot" means "gem" in Arabic faridat. Forming deep in the earth, peridot was brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions. Due to its typical transparency, peridot has always been associated with light. In Egypt, it was worn to ward off evil spirits, and when set in gold, it was believed to offer protection from terrors of the night.

Peridot comes in an attractive range of green colors from the most popular bright lime green, to more subtle hues of olivine, brownish-green, yellowish-green, and greenish-yellow.

Peridot rates a 6.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale and has fair to good toughness. It is stable in light, but peridot is harmed by many chemicals including sulfuric acid. Over a long period of time it even can be attacked by acid perspiration. Repairs must be done carefully since rapid heat can cause the stone to fracture.

Peridot should never be cleaned in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner. The safest cleaning method is warm soapy water and a soft microfiber cloth.

Arpaia Lang $240
Matched pair 6mm round full-cut brilliant peridots
Eye-clean gem quality, natural color
14kt white gold fleur de lis post earring settings

 

 

 

 

Comment below to Perlina- ask any question or comment

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.