Peridot---The Birthstone for August

The beautiful birthstone for August, the Peridot, pronounced, "pair-a-doe," actually comes in only one color, an olive green but the amount of ferrous iron in the stone can distort or change the color so that some of the stones may be green, yellow, yellowish-green, brownish-green, and even brown. Dark olive green is by far the favorite color of those who choose to wear this gemstone. The name Peridot means unclear, which may be a reference to the cloudy spots often seen in the stone.

If you do plan to purchase a Peridot, start looking early, because finding just the right piece of jewelry at a price you can afford may be a little harder than you think. Although Peridots are very common and found in many places, they are seldom found in pieces that would be considered gem-quality.

Peridot comes from many places in the world such as Pakistan, Myanmar, China, and Sri Lanka and Hawaii, but today is most commonly mined in Arizona, by native Americans on the San Carlos Indian Reservation.(1)

It is often mined from basalt rocks, found in lava, and has even had the distinction of being the only gem ever found in meteorites. In spite of this, having an origin in a meteorite doesn't always make a gemstone valuable. A very nice one put up for auction in 2008 at Bonham's, a famous auction has, so far, not received any bids. Of course the fact that the starting acceptable bid was over $3,000,000 may have something to do with the lack of bidders.

My Mother, who was born in August, was very proud of the Peridot ring she wore for many years, even though the Peridot, due to its tendency to scratch and lose its luster more easily than many gemstones, is more commonly used in the making of brooches, necklaces, pins, and earrings, than it is for rings. Peridot that comes from an area where there is more magnesium content in the ore is harder than most Peridot, and thus more suitable for use in rings. Heat and cold can also damage the luster of Peridot and the stone is a bit on the brittle side.

As with other gemstones, Peridot has its share of myths circulated about it over the years. One is that a Peridot is able to drive away evil spirits. And, so the myth goes, by setting the Peridot in gold, you even increase its evil driving powers.

Another well-known myth about Peridot comes from Hawaii, where tiny particles of Peridot have been spewed out on the beaches during volcano eruptions. Myth believers say that the bits of Peridot are the tears of the volcano Goddess, Pele. (1)

Peridot is also claimed to be able to cure asthma. My husband suffers an occasional asthma attack, but I haven't been able to convince him to try the Peridot cure. I may mention it to his doctor next time he goes in for a check-up. (2)

The gem mentioned in the Bible as Pitdah, is our modern day, Peridot, and a shrine in Cologne erected in honor of the Biblical Magi is decorated with three 200 carat Peridot. This is unusual as Peridot of that size is pretty rare. The largest Peridot ever cut is a 310 carat stone that is now on exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D. C. (3)

If your search for a nice Peridot is coming up empty, try looking online. Many of the Native American tribes of the United States specialize in Peridot jewelry items. And, if you have occasion to speak to the dealer in person or on the phone, don't forget to pronounce it, "pair-a-doe," so that he or she will know what you are talking about.

SOURCES:

1. http://www.jewellery-art.co.uk/peridot-gemstone-meanings.html
2. http://goldperidotring.com/the-choice-of-peridotwhy-people-like-it/
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peridot