P is for Peridot

Peridot was once called “the extreme gem”. Peridot is born of fire & brought to light. One of only two gems (other being diamond) formed not in the earth but in molten rock brought to the surface by earthquakes & volcanoes. Peridot, in shades of olive, is one of the few gemstones that forms in only one color.

Peridot is both a day stone and a night stone keeping its shinning color even under artificial light. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as “Evening Emerald”. Peridots are natural gems, never enhanced, usually small and flawless. Peridot is a popular & affordable gem that can be faceted into many cuts & used in all forms of jewelry.

As the mines of Zabargad were slowly depleting, the world lost its fascination with the stone. It became popular again during the Baroque period 1500-1700. Peridot was most abundant during the 1930-1940 WWII for its affordability during these economically depressed times. It was sometimes referred to as the “poor man’s emerald”. But then in 1990 a sensationally rich deposit of this stone was found in Pakistan. This brought a new surge of excitement to the gem fairs around the world. The newly discovered gems were of the finest ever found. Clear crystals of magnificent green.

Today, the stone is still very affordable and very vibrant in its color. Peridot has been under appreciated and overlooked as a lesser gem for years, but the new resurgence is bringing to light what Peridot lovers have always known that this gem is a truly remarkable stone.