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Peridot Information
The peridot is a very old gemstone, and can be
found in Egyptian jewellery from the early 2nd millennium B.C.. The
ancient Romans too were fond of this gemstone and esteemed its
radiant green shine, which does not change even in artificial light.
For that reason they nicknamed it the 'emerald of the evening'.
How green? It all depends on
the iron
This gemstone has no fewer than three names: 'peridot',
'chrysolite', from the Greek 'gold stone', and 'olivine', for the
peridot is the gemstone form of the mineral olivine. In the gemstone
trade it is called 'peridot', derived from the Greek word 'peridona',
which means something like 'to give richness'.
The peridot is one of the few gemstones which come in one colour
only. The rich, green colour with the slight tinge of gold is caused
by very fine traces of iron. From a chemical point of view, peridot
is an iron magnesium silicate. The intensity of the colour depends
on the amount of iron actually present. The colour itself can vary
over all shades of yellowish green and olive, and even to a brownish
green. Peridot is not particularly hard - only 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs
scale - but it is easy to look after and fairly robust. Peridot
cat's eyes and star peridot are particularly rare and precious .
The most beautiful stones come from the border area between Pakistan
and Afghanistan. However, the peridot as a gemstone also exists in
Myanmar, China, the USA, Africa and Australia. Stones from East
Burma, now known as Myanmar, have a vivid light green and fine
inclusions with a silky shine to them. Peridot from Arizona, where
it is popularly used in native American jewellery, often has
somewhat yellowish or gold-brown nuances.
Large, transparent stones of an intense colour are, however, rare and
correspondingly expensive. The peridot is a gemstone that you should
definitely get to know better and possesses great affordability.
Birthstone for August
| RI: 1.64-1.69 |
SG:
3.27-3.45 |
Hardness:
6.5-7 |
Toughness: Fair
to Good |
| Treatments:
Normally not treated |
| Care Tips:
Avoid ultrasonic cleaners, steamers, abrupt temperature
changes and acids |
| Value:
Up to $150 USD per carat retail. (Newman, 2006) |
Peridots can be securely purchased on this
web site at bargain prices ... see
here
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