Perfect Peridot
August’s lucky babies can claim the beautiful and unusual peridot as their birthstone. Peridot is also the stone that represents the astrological sign of Libra, and it is given as the 16th wedding anniversary jewel. It is an ancient gemstone - some historians believe that the emeralds worn by Cleopatra were actually peridot. In the Bible, it was referred to as “chrysolite.” Folklore has held that the stone will bring success, good luck and peace.
Peridot is the only gemstone that is found in olivine, a silicate mineral that is rich with magnesium and iron. The finest gem quality - peridot has a higher percentage of magnesium (which contributes to clarity) than iron; this produces the gorgeous green colors. It is often found in volcanic rock, and is the only gemstone known to be found in meteorites.
Green stones have always been popular, and the popularity of peridot has increased exponentially since the mid-1990s, when new mines were discovered. Peridot gemstones vary in color from lime green to a deeper green, similar to the color of a green glass pop bottle.
In the United States, peridot has been found in Arizona, New Mexico, North Carolina, Nevada and Hawaii. Peridot has long been treasured by native Hawaiians; the stones are believed to be the tears of the goddess of fire, Pele, but very few gemstones are actually mined there. There are actually beaches on Oahu that are composed of olivine, but the grains are too small to produce gemstones.
Peridot is also found in other areas of the world, such as Brazil, Mexico, China, Burma (Myanmar), India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia. A truly remarkable find of peridot was found in the 1990s in the Kashmir region of India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Kashmir peridot is thought to be the finest peridot ever found. Possessing brilliant color and extraordinary clarity, the Kashmir peridot has provided gemstones of amazing size, with some over 300 carats. The Kashmir peridot discovery is extensive, with amazing stones of many sizes and colors.
Peridot, especially when set in gold, has been thought to ward off evil spirits. In ancient times, medicinal goblets were carved from the stone because it was believed that medicines and potions would gain strength from the peridot. Early Christians believed that the stone was sacred, and even now, Catholic bishops wear the stone in a ring. Ancient Asian cultures believed that a peridot held under the tongue would prevent dehydration.
Now that going green couldn’t be sexier - the peridot, with its fascinating folklore and history and its beautiful green color, would be an exquisite stone for every Delamina woman (not just those lucky August babies) to wear in celebration of the renewal of our planet.
Tags: ancient gemstone, brilliant color, chrysolite, Clarity, Delamina woman, emeralds, exquisite stone, extraordinary clarity, finest gem quality, found in meteorites, green stones, Kashmir peridot, magnesium and iron, new mines, olivine, over 300 carats, popularity of peridot, set in gold, silicate mineral, stone, unusual peridot, vary in color, wedding anniversary jewel