Peridot – Peridot has been adored since early times, when the ancient Egyptians prized it more than 3500 years ago. Some jewelry historians are convinced that some, if not all, of the emeralds Cleopatra was famous for wearing were actually peridots mined from what is now known as St. John’s Island in the Red Sea, about 34 miles off the coast of Egypt. Peridot is a member of the olivine family of gemstones and is the birthstone for August. This beautiful lime-green gemstone depends largely on body
mass for its concentration of color and, hence, its beauty. Unfortunately, larger stones have become so rare that the green hue for which this gem is most praised is seldom seen today. Much of today’s peridot comes from Arizona, however, stones rarely exceed 3 carats in size. Peridot is also found Australia, Brazil, China, Myanmar (Burma) and Pakistan.
Enhancements – Peridot is completely natural in color and clarity. There are no known commercial treatments being done today to enhance these beautiful apple green gemstones. The owner of a beautiful peridot will cherish the fact that their peridot is one of the few colored gemstones in today’s market that exhibits the exact color and clarity that mother nature produced, with it’s beauty brought to the surface strictly by the artistry of the cutter.
