Peridot is a gemstone that has been used for centuries. Thus, the most important historical deposit is that of the island of Zeberget, located in the Red Sea off Egypt. It was already exploited 3500 years ago. It is also on this island that the largest peridot ever cut, weighing 310ct, was discovered.
Olive green in color, peridot owes its color to both iron and magnesium. Stones comprising mostly iron are quite dark, so stones containing more magnesium are more sought after, being of better quality. With a hardness of 6 ½ to 7 on the Mohs scale, peridot is a relatively fragile stone. It tends to resist pressure poorly, so it is often mounted in a closed setting. It is also sensitive to thermal shock.
As the birthstone of August, it is said that wearing a peridot protects against evil spirits. One particular peridot is very popular with collectors: pallasite. These are meteorites that have fallen to Earth and contain, among other things, peridot crystals.
Peridot is found in Myanmar, Pakistan, the United States and Sri Lanka.
Discover without delay our collection of peridots available on Nascendi Paris.
