Peridot - The Definitive Guide

Healing Properties

Peridot is renowned for its powerful healing properties, both physically and emotionally. It promotes emotional balance, alleviates stress, and helps release negative patterns like jealousy and anger. Peridot fosters love and compassion through heart chakra healing, protects from negative energies, supports physical health by stimulating metabolism and aiding detoxification, and attracts abundance and prosperity.

Clarity

Peridot often contains fewer inclusions compared to many other gemstones, but it is not typically inclusion-free. Common inclusions in peridot include reflective platelets or needle-like inclusions, but these are usually small and not easily visible. The clarity of a peridot significantly impacts its value, with eye-clean stones being particularly prized. When purchasing peridot, aim for stones with minimal visible inclusions and examine the gem under good lighting to assess its clarity.

Structure

Peridot, the gem-quality variety of olivine, has an orthorhombic crystal structure characterized by three mutually perpendicular axes of different lengths, giving it a distinctive prismatic shape. Composed of magnesium iron silicate, its vibrant green color is due to the presence of iron. With a Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7, peridot is relatively durable but requires careful handling to avoid scratches.

Mines

Peridot has been mined since as early as 300 B.C., and today it is found in many mines around the world. Gem mines in Arizona are the richest sources of peridot, and other mines are found around the United States in Arkansas, Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico. Peridot is also mined worldwide, with resources in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Pakistan, Egypt, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, China, Norway, and other countries.

Symbolism

Peridot is associated with the sun, believed to brighten wit and promote qualities like responsibility, forgiveness, and compassion. It also provides emotional and psychological support, helping with jealousy, depression, and peaceful sleep, and has historically been used as a talisman against negative forces. Known as the national gemstone of Egypt, it is linked to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi and the Hawaiian goddess Pele. Peridot is the birthstone for August and is also celebrated as the sixteenth and alternative first wedding anniversary gemstone.

Benefits

Peridot is believed to enhance intuition and spiritual insight, helping individuals connect with their inner wisdom and life's purpose. Known as a stone of abundance, it is said to attract wealth, prosperity, and positive energy, boosting confidence and assertiveness for achieving goals. Additionally, peridot is thought to support physical health by stimulating metabolism, aiding detoxification, and benefiting the digestive system, liver, and skin.

History

Peridot has been a popular jewelry stone since ancient Egypt, and it is now believed that much of Queen Cleopatra’s famed emerald collection may actually have been peridot, since the two stones were often confused before modern gemological studies made it easier to distinguish them. Peridot stones are also part of the Russian crown jewels. Peridot stones are often tumbled as beads, or can be faceted into any gemstone shape.

Celebrity

For those who love the glamour of Hollywood and the movies, you can enjoy a peridot ring knowing it is a favorite of many celebrities and royalty. This style has adorned the fingers of top names including Olivia Wilde, Katy Perry, and Angelina Jolie.

Peridot Jewelry

Today, peridot is used in all types of jewelry, and is usually set in gold. White gold will help brighten the stone and showcase its color, while yellow gold accentuates yellow tones within the stone. Peridot, which has a high natural transparency, can be brilliant on its own, or is often paired with diamonds for extra sparkle. Rings, pendants, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and other types of jewelry often feature peridot, but it is important to note that the stone is relatively soft and great care should be taken if it is worn in rings, to ensure it is not scratched or chipped.

Other August Birthstones

While peridot is popular for August birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions, it is not the only gem associated with this month. At different times, sardonyx, spinel, moonstone, and topaz have all been symbolically representative of August, and each one would make a lovely gemstone choice for any piece of jewelry. The August Zodiac signs also have their own associated gemstones, with Leo (July 23 to August 23) connecting with onyx and Virgo (August 24 to September 22) connecting with carnelian.

Is Peridot Right For Me?

Celebrate the vibrant energy of peridot, a gemstone known for its radiant green hue and uplifting spirit. Explore our exclusive collection of peridot rings to find a piece that truly reflects this bright and meaningful gemstone.

Suzanne Sachs

Suzanne has always believed vintage rings can change lives. She's been in the jewelry industry for over 35 years, working with vintage jewelers, diamond dealers, diamond cutters, and gemologists. Suzanne started Artdecodiamonds in 2000 and understood the demand for vintage rings throughout the world. She ultimately started VintageDiamondRing.com in 2014, and understands each vintage ring is a reflection of you — your history, your relationships, your style, your elegance and is honored to have the opportunity to help you showcase your flair in a unique and exquisite way.

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