ORIGIN

The oldest known source of peridot was the Egyptian island of Topazios, now known as Zabargad, with records showing mining as early as 340 BCE. The island still produces highly coveted peridot, though they're scarce due to the harsh conditions.  Most peridot we see today comes from China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam and the United States.  Interestingly, peridot has been found in crashed meteorites.

COLOR GRADING

Peridot colors range from vivid bright yellow-green to a dark olive color. Like other stones, the more saturated the peridot's color is, the more valuable. 

When looking for everyday jewelry, typically below one carat, the color scale ranges from AAAA - A. Stones are labeled with these letters based on rarity. For example, an AAAA (heirloom quality) stone accounts for the top 1% of all-natural gemstones, AAA stone (fine quality) accounts for 10%, AA accounts for 25%, and A for 50 - 75% (a more commercial-grade stone). 

When looking for a peridot stone that is fine quality (typically over one carat), you would ask your jeweler to find you a "Gem" which is a term used to describe the best quality in gemstones, for any size above one carat. In the case of peridot, the gem would have a bright green color, it would be closer to a pure grass green than the typical olive green color you see above.

Source: GIA

CLARITY GRADING

Peridot is known to have a few inclusions, but a majority of the faceted stones on the market are eye-clean. The tiny inclusions spots might be visible under magnification and that is normal in natural peridots. Some inclusions common in peridot are reflective and shaped as "lily pads".

Source: John Dyer & Co.

LUSTER

Luster is the way light interacts with the surface of a stone. Also known as crystal or the "life" in a stone, this seemingly slight difference between stones can raise the price of a gem significantly. Peridot is a transparent olivine making it easy for these stones to carry light. Peridot is also known to have a high double refraction, meaning you are able to see two of each pavilion facets.

Source: Geology In

TREATMENTS

Natural peridot does not typically undergo any treatments to improve its color or clarity. Peridot's color is naturally quite rich in color. However, peridot is treated with colorless oils, waxes, or resins to fill voids or surface fractures and to improve the gem’s appearance or surface luster. All of our peridot is sourced from reputable vendors and is 100% authentic.

Source: Diamond Advisor

DENSITY

The density of a stone is what determines its carat weight. Because density varies between different types of stones, carat weight differs even if two stones have the same dimensions. For example, if a peridot is 12x10mm it weighs in at around 7 carats. However, a 12x10mm sapphire weighs in at about 8.5 carats. 

Source: GIA

CERTIFICATES

Since peridot is a semi-precious stone rather than precious, it is uncommon for them to come with a certification. However, all stones are available for certification if its owner wishes to certify it. If a peridot is certified, it most likely will have a certificate from a notable lab such as GIA, Lotus, AIGS, CDC, and IGI.

Source: GIA

LAB GROWN PERIDOT

Just like diamonds, lab-grown peridot is 100% atomically the same as natural peridot. The cost difference between the two isn't as significant as we would typically see with diamonds or precious gemstones, however, the color of these stones are particularly vivid.

Source: Shahla Karimi

BIRTHSTONE MEANINGS + HEALING PROPERTIES 

August's birthstone, peridot, is primarily known as a protective talisman. For this reason, it was used to bring good health, balance emotions and mind, and prevent its wearer from night terrors. On the health front, peridot is believed to help with the adrenal and endocrine systems.