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Peridot,
the Birthstone of August
aka Chrysolite, Hawaiite, Evening Emerald, Night Emerald,
Bastard Emerald
This olivine variety is composed of magnesium iron
silicate. Peridot (pronounced PEAR-ih-doh or PEAR-ih-dot) is created under
great temperatures and pressures deep within the Earth and sometimes is
extruded in basaltic lavas. Its yellow-green color is mainly dependent on
the amount of ferrous iron present. The traditional birthstone of August,
peridot's name origin is uncertain, but several theories exist. Some say
it comes from the 13th century English word peridote; others
attribute it to the French peritot, meaning "unclear" (probably due
to the inclusions and cloudy nature of large gemstones). It also could be
named for the Arabic word faridat, which simply means "gem."
Peridot splits and bends the rays of light passing through it, giving it a
velvety, sleepy appearance along with a rich glow. Throughout time,
peridot has been confused with many other gemstones, including emerald. In
fact, many "emeralds" in royal treasures have turned out to be peridots!
Other green gemstones confused with peridot are apatite (which is much
softer); green garnets (which have no double refraction); green tourmaline
and green sinhalite (both of which are strongly pleochroic); moldavites
(no double refraction); and green zircon (significantly heavier).
Peridot occasionally is treated with colorless oil, wax and natural or
synthetic unhardened resins, which are placed into voids to improve
appearance. Surface fractures are sometimes filled with a colorless
hardened substance. It is safe to assume that any inexpensive peridot is
treated in one of these ways, ours included. These gemstone beads usually
are cut in India, so irregularities in shape, size or other qualities
should be expected. The relative softness of peridot requires special care
and handling: it is susceptible to acids, particularly hydrochloric and
sulphuric, which will remove a gemstone's polish surprisingly quickly.
Quick temperature changes, scratches and sharp blows also should be
avoided. Do not clean peridot in a home ultrasonic cleaner.
Peridot mining dates back about 4,000 years, and the gemstone is mentioned
in the Bible under the Hebrew name pitdah. Valuable peridots have
been excavated in Egypt and faceted stones have been found in the ruins of
ancient Greece. In Roman times, it was known as "evening emerald," since
peridot has the property of keeping its green color even in weak light.
Peridot is said to have been the favorite gemstone of Cleopatra. The
Greeks and Romans referred to peridot as topazion and topazius,
respectively, but this name was later given to topaz to end the confusion
between the two gems. The gemstone was very popular in the Baroque era and
was introduced to Europe during the Middle Ages by the Crusaders, who used
it for ecclesiastical purposes. Hawaiian legend holds that peridot is the
goddess Pele's tears, and the Ottoman sultans gathered a large collection
during their 600-year reign (1300-1918), with an impressive array of both
loose gemstones as well as peridot earrings, rings and other jewelry.
I would like
to thank my friends over at
Rings and Things
for providing this fantastic information! Thanks Russ and Polly!
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