Peridot – Facts, History & Myths

Peridot, the birthstone of August is a gorgeous lemon-green coloured gemstone whose colour varies from yellowish-green to brownish-green. The peridots owe their colour to iron i.e. higher the concentration of iron, greener the stone! Peridots were quite precious in ancient times as it was one of the twelve on the breastplate of Aaron in the Bible. However, Peridots lost their value down the ages because similar looking gemstones like Emerald and green tourmaline replaced them. Nowadays, they are not a preferred choice of gemstone in jewellery and are long forgotten.

History of Peridot

Did you know, even though Peridot was announced as the birthstone of August in 1912, proof of mining of this stone goes back to 1500BC. They are either formed deep inside the earth (which comes to the surface during volcanic eruptions) or brought to the planet via meteorites. That’s why they are also called extraterritorial Peridots as well. For over 3500 years, this gemstone was mined at St. Johns Island (an island situated 35miles off the port of Berenice). The mining stopped around World War II and now it is mined at the following locations – Burma, Pakistan, Arizona, New Mexico, Vietnam and China.

Peridots & Egypt

Peridots are the National Gem of Egypt. Ancient Egyptians referred to Peridot as the ‘Gem Of The Sun’ because they believed that it protects its wearers from nightmares and terrors of the night. They were also believed to ward off anxiety and help orators in their speeches. Emerald was the favourite gemstone of Cleopatra, the ruler of Egypt. Many jewellery historians believe that most of the Emeralds worn by Cleopatra weren’t actually Emerald, but Peridots! This is undoubtedly the biggest myth revolving this August birthstone.

Facts About The Eighth Gemstone of the Year!

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Note: We are referring to Peridot as the 8th gemstone of the year because it is the birthstone for the month of August.

• The August gemstone is actually pronounced Peri-doe and not peri –dot.
• Even though this gemstone was discovered thousands of years ago, Peridot was crowned as the birthstone of August in 1912 by National Association of Jewellers.
• Peridot, when set in gold and worn as jewellery is considered as the tears of Pele, the Goddess of Fires and Volcanoes.
• It’s also known as the Evening Emerald or Emerald of the evening because it colour remains constant under artificial as well as natural lighting.
• On a funny note, Peridots are said to suppress ego and jealousy wherein green is often referred to as the colour of envy.
• The largest Peridot found till date is of 319 carats and can be seen at Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
• You can see two gemstone facets in Peridot when you look closely. This happens because the gemstone has high double refraction. How confusingly mesmerizing is that!

Peridot or Emerald… the resolved mystery!

With the help of recent instruments and technology, it’s very easy to differentiate between two similar looking products. However, that was not the case thousands of years back. Peridots were often mistaken as Emerald during ancient times. Even though Peridot is a type of olivine while the May birthstone (Emerald) is a type of beryl, it looked similar to the naked eye. Interesting, in certain types of jewellery, the setting can dupe the onlooker to believe that wearer is actually wearing an Emerald! Now that you're all riled up about Peridot, how about shopping something? We have a big catalogue of Peridot studded jewellery like rings, earrings, pendants, bands and nose pins. These are perfect for daily wear or even workwear. They add a hint of colour to your appearance and it looks very nice. That’s all about the August birthstone. If you have any such interesting facts with you, feel free to share them in comments below.