The Peridot is one of the few gemstones that come in only one color – a rich green with a subtle suggestion of gold. It is the gemstone of August, perhaps because it is so wearable with a light summer wardrobe. Its vivid green is the perfect compliment to a fresh and feathery summer outfit.
The peridot is both old and new. It can be found in ancient Egyptian jewelry from the 2nd Millennium BC. The stones used then came from a deposit on a small volcanic island in the Red Sea, some 45 miles off the Egyptian coast at Aswan, which was not rediscovered until about 1900 (now exhausted). A few years ago deposits of exceedingly beautiful and transparent peridot were located in the Kashmir region (where parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan and India meet China) that have re-ignited interest in this lovely stone. 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. Because of the rich finds in Pakistan and Afghanistan, there is enough raw material on the market, so the right stone can now be found to cater for each individual taste and each pocket. Large, transparent stones of an intense color are, however, rare and correspondingly expensive. Interest in the peridot gemstone is on the rise and you should definitely get to know it better.
Peridot
