International Gemological Institute (IGI) focuses on Peridot! Said, whether you’re an August baby, a gemstone enthusiast, a jewelry lover, or simply curious about this stunning green beauty, peridot has a great story. From its formation deep within the Earth’s mantle to its place as adornment in jewelry pieces worldwide, let’s discuss some details about this beautiful gem.
Peridot, pronounced as ‘pear-a-doe’, is a gemstone that is known for its vibrant, olive-green hue. It is the birthstone for August and is also the gemstone that celebrates the 16th wedding anniversary. The name ‘Peridot’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘faridat’, which means ‘gem’. Unlike many other gemstones that come in a variety of colors, Peridot is one of the few gemstones that exist in only one color, green. However, the intensity and tint of the green color can vary depending on the amount of iron present in the crystal structure.
Peridot shares a special distinction with diamond, the King of Gemstones: Among all gem varieties, only peridot and diamond formed deep within the Earth’s mantle. Diamonds formed under extreme pressure and high temperatures, around 90 to 120 miles below the Earth’s surface, or deeper. Peridot also formed in the mantle, around 20 to 55 miles below the surface, as a result of plate tectonics. These two gemstones are “deep-earth” cousins.
Peridot has a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, which makes it a fairly durable gemstone suitable for a variety of jewelry designs. However, it is softer than many other popular gemstones like diamond, sapphire, and ruby, so it requires careful handling to prevent scratching. The gemstone is usually cut in a faceted style to enhance its brilliance and is often shaped into rounds, ovals, marquises, and cushions.
There is one more interesting fact to share about peridot. It one of the oldest known gemstones, with specimens dating back to 4.5 billion years found in meteorites. In fact, it is one of the few gemstones found in meteorites. Peridot is also found in lunar rocks and has been discovered on Mars. This makes it one of the few gemstones known in both our world and the extraterrestrial world.
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