Peridot

Peridot

Consumer Information

What color is it?: Generally yellowish green to medium dark green

What is the story behind this gemstone?: For openers that word is “per-i-doh” not “per-i-dot” Unless, of course you drive a “chev-ro-let” instead of a “chev-ro-lay”. Beyond that this is a gemstone that is coming of age. They have a soft color to them due to some unusual gemological properties that I will not bore you with in this section. But suffice it to say that peridot is a beautiful stone that wears well and looks beautiful with a lot of your wardrobe.

Can I wear it everyday?: Absolutely! Peridot is a very long wearing gemstone.

Is it expensive?: No. Peridot should be priced along the same lines as a nice tourmaline or garnet.

Is it a birthstone?: Yes…August

What do I need to know before going shopping?: There is a rather nasty peridot imitation stone being sold in some stores called synthetic forsterite. This is a very good imitation that is actually a type of synthetic peridot. So stay with a professional, independent jeweler when you shop for peridot. They will be the only people who can make sure you are getting the real thing.

General Information

Source: World wide…like the beach rocks in Hawaii

Chemical: (Mg,Fe2) SiO4 magnesium iron silicate

Formation: In volcanic rocks

Crystal System: Orthorhombic

Unusual Properties: Doubling of facets. If you look inside a peridot with a magnifying glass you will never be able to focus the back facet junctions. The stone splits the beam of light into two separate beams that cannot be focused.