Peridot Meaning and Properties: August's Birthstone

Peridot is the only gem that has fallen out of the sky. Some peridot is genuinely ancient beyond reckoning, found in pallasite meteorites, remnants of our solar system's birth. The rest comes from nearly as dramatic a place: peridotite rock in the earth's upper mantle, carried up by forces that do not concern themselves with jewellery.

The gem of the sun

The ancient Egyptians mined peridot on Zabargad, a forbidding island in the Red Sea, and the stones they pulled out still anchor museum collections around the world. They called it the gem of the sun, and the name fits: peridot's restful yellowish green, shot through with gold, looks like late afternoon light. Unlike most gems, its colour is part of its basic chemistry rather than a trace impurity, which is why peridot is always green, never any other colour, only lighter or deeper.

What to look for

Peridot is the birthstone for August and the gem of the 15th wedding anniversary. When choosing, look for a clean, bright stone whose green leans neither too brown nor too yellow for your taste. Large, strongly coloured examples can be spectacular, while attractive smaller gems exist at every price point, which makes peridot one of the friendliest fine gems to start a collection with.

Living with it

At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, peridot is the softest of the mainstream birthstones, so give it the usual respect: protected settings for rings, and storage away from harder stones that could scratch it. In earrings and pendants it is utterly carefree. Its olive warmth flatters yellow gold especially, though white metals give it a fresher, more modern edge.

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A birthstone with real range

Peridot sits in an unusual sweet spot: a genuine fine gem with a five-thousand-year pedigree, yet priced for ordinary birthdays rather than once-a-decade occasions. That makes it a natural first coloured gem, a low-pressure anniversary gift, and a stone you can size up in without the anxiety that comes with the traditional precious three. Its green also spans more variety than people expect, from pale lime through classic olive to a deep, almost velvety green in the largest stones.

From mantle to meteorite

It is worth pausing on peridot's two origin stories, because no other gem has them. Most peridot forms deep in the earth's upper mantle and reaches the surface through volcanic activity, which is why it turns up in lava-rich places. A tiny fraction arrives from further out: pallasite meteorites, remnants of our solar system's birth, sometimes carry gem-quality peridot crystals sealed in metal. The peridot in a museum case and the peridot in a meteorite slice are the same mineral, olivine, separated by a commute of a few hundred million miles.

Choosing and caring

Look for a bright, lively green with good transparency; the finest peridot has a slight golden undertone rather than anything brownish. Clean stones are normal in smaller sizes, so expect eye-clean as standard and be suspicious of anything heavily veiled. At Mohs 6.5 to 7, treat peridot like the mid-hardness gem it is: fine in pendants and earrings every day, happier in a ring with a protective setting and an owner who takes it off for the garden. Warm water and mild soap are all it asks for.

Your green with Shewah

Tell us whether you picture peridot's warm green in a ring, pendant or pair of earrings, and we will make the piece to order, quoted in full before work begins.

Explore Shewah's jewellery or contact us on WhatsApp at +91 96622 66360 to talk stones.

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Sources

• Peridot Gemstone - GIA