Peridot - August birthstone

Mohs Hardness  6.5 to 7

Mined From  USA, Egypt, Tanzania, Pakistan, Myanmar, China, Vietnam.

Species   Peridot

Typical Cutting Style  Cabochon and Faceted

Colour  Peridot is usually transparent. It comes in an attractive range of colours, from brownish or yellowish green to greenish yellow.

Chemistry   (MgFe)2 SiO4 Magnesium iron silicate.

Inclusions Peridot is usually a quite clean gemstone, they can contain disc like liquid and gas inclusions. Also tiny dark octahedral chromite inclusions.

Cleaning & Care  Warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush will help maintain the sparkle of your Peridot. Ultra sonic machine cleaning or steam cleaning is not recommended for cleaning your Peridot jewellery. Rapid or uneven heat can cause Peridot to fracture. Peridot is stable to light but is easily attacked by sulphuric acid, and less easily by hydrochloric acid. It can also be attacked over a long period of time by acid perspiration. Peridot is durable enough for every day wear, but should be worn with some care as it is prone to scratches and hard knocks can fracture the stone. Visit us on a yearly basis for a FREE clean and polish service.

Storing Your Peridot  When you are not wearing your Peridot jewellery place it in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment to other gemstone jewellery (i.e. emerald, sapphire, ruby, diamond are higher on the Mohs hardness scale) they could cause scratches to your Peridot jewellery.

Interesting Facts The Egyptians called Peridot the gem of the sun. Some believed that it protected its owner from the terrors of the night.

Peridot crystals are found in meteorites: some rare extra-terrestrial crystals are even big enough to facet as cut gemstones.

Peridot is the gem variety of the mineral olivine. Its chemical composition includes iron and magnesium.

Iron is the cause of its attractive yellowish green colours. The gem often occurs in volcanic rocks called basalts, which are rich in these two elements.

Peridots are relatively inexpensive and plentiful, and are normally available in standard shapes and sizes. The Peridot gemstone is said to represent  Love, truth, faithfulness and loyalty.