Peridot Gemstone: Craved Through the Ages
 In the modern birthstone era, the peridot gemstone is associated with the month of August. Known by several different names over the years, the peridot gemstone has remained a favorite of many people. Whether you are wearing a peridot gemstone for relaxation, its historical value, or its beauty alone, you might become enthralled with it, too.
 The peridot gemstone is a gemstone that has been around for a long, long time. The mining of the peridot gemstone has been dated as far back as 1500 B.C., by the Egyptians, and they referred to peridot as the gem of the sun. Many people of early civilizations thought that peridot was actually an emerald. The peridot gemstone was one of Cleopatra’s favorites, and it was also a cherished gemstone of Turkish sultans during the late Ottoman Empire, 1300-1918. The Turkish sultans amassed quite a collection of peridot gemstones. In fact, one of Istanbul’s museums (Topkapi) houses a golden throne that is embellished with over 950 peridot gemstones.
There is some confusion as to how the peridot gemstone received its name. The Arabic word for gem is “faridat.” The French word for unclear is “peritot.” The Hebrew word “pitdah” is mentioned in the Bible. In addition to having been thought of as being an emerald, the peridot gemstone was also called topaz. It is believed by some that the 18th century French society was among the first people to actually use the word “peridot” for this fine gemstone.
 The peridot gemstone has a durability rating that ranges between 6.5 and 7 on the Mohs scale. The peridot gemstone has been known to have colors ranging from yellow-green to olive-green. The amount of iron within the gemstone determines how green the stone will be. The peridot gemstone is usually transparent and will generally be more valuable as the green color is clearer. Any presence of brown will lower a peridot gemstone’s value.
Early miners searched for the peridot gemstone at night, using the moon’s light as a tool to help them see the resulting sparkle from the stones waiting to be discovered. Perhaps this is one reason why some jewelers have referred to peridot as an “evening emerald.” Zagbargad, an island in the Red Sea, mined peridot for years. Peridot has also been found in Australia, Mexico, the Congo, Pakistan, Norway, Myanmar, Germany, Egypt, and the United States. Egypt and Myanmar for years have produced finer quality peridot. Pakistan has also been producing fine quality peridot since the mid 1990’s. In the United States, Arizona produces anywhere from 80%-95% of the world’s supply of affordable peridot. Hawaii has associated its peridot with Pele, their volcano goddess. Many Hawaiians have the belief that peridot is actually from the tears of Pele.
One of the largest peridot gemstones ever found is on display in Washington, D. C., at the Smithsonian. It is 310 carats. The Kremlin, in Russia, has a 192-carat peridot gemstone that is part of the Russian crown jewels.
Ancient Greeks believed the peridot gemstone represented dignity when it was worn. Other people have believed that, metaphysically, peridot brings peace, success, relaxation, stress reduction, good luck, and protection from negative energy.
One of the zodiac’s signs for folks who were born in August is Leo, the lion. Irregardless, you don’t have to be born in August, be king of the jungle, have a loud roar, or even have lots of hair to enjoy the historic, enduring peridot gemstone.
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