Peridot

Peridot

Properties

  • Mineral: Olivine
  • Chemistry: (MgFe)2SiO4
  • Color: Yellowish green
  • Refractive index: 65 to 1.69
  • Birefringence: 0.035 to 0.038
  • Specific gravity: 34
  • Mohs Hardness: 5 to 7

About Peridot

Peridot is one of the few gemstones that only appear in a single colour, olive green. It is a gem-quality variant of the mineral olivine which is a silicate mineral. Peridot gemstones can vary from yellow—to olive—to brownish-green. Peridots were called the “gems of the sun” by the ancient Egyptians. The Roman Empire was fascinated with peridots as well calling them “emeralds of the evening”.

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History

The origin of the word, “peridot” most likely came from the Arabic “faridat,” which means “gem.” Historians have discovered that ancient Egyptians mined peridots on an island in the Red Sea called Topazios, now known as St. John’s Island or Zabargad. For centuries peridots have been confused for other green gemstones such as topaz or emeralds.

Sources

In 1994 in a mountain pass 4000 metres high in Kashmir, Pakistan, a large and very fine peridots were found. The high quality gems made Kashmir peridots a well-known term in the gemstone trade. Peridot olivine are also mined in Arkansas, Arizona on the San Carlos Reservation, China, Egypt, Myanmar (Burma) and Tanzania.

Quality

Top quality peridots display a rich saturated yellowish green colour. Pakistan produces peridots of such quality. Peridots from Myanmar (Burma) and China are also comparable to peridots from Pakistan.

Trivia

Peridots have also been discovered in outer space. In 2005 peridots fell to earth on meteorites

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