Peridot is a kind of natural gem, its main components are iron, magnesium, silicon, but also contains manganese, nickel, cobalt and other elements. This gem is also one of the common minerals in the earth, and one of the main minerals that constitute meteorites. It is named because its color is mostly olive green.
It is not green like emerald or fiery red like ruby. It is a plain yellow-green, and its color is related to the magnesium and iron content of the stone. Peridot is a unique gem because its color combines the nobility of yellow with the hope of light green.
Source of Peridot
Peridot is a gem with a long history. The first deposits of peridot were discovered on the island of St. John 3,500 years ago, and ancient Egyptians have been wearing ornaments made of it ever since. As the national stone of Egypt, the peridot once held a revered status. It was loved and collected by pharaohs, or decorated in temples and churches, becoming a symbol of wealth and status. Cleopatra VII loved gold and jewelry throughout her life, and one of her favorite gems was peridot.
In ancient Rome, peridot was called the "Sun Stone" and used as a talisman. People believed that it had the power of the sun, that it could ward off "the fears of the night" and evil, and that it could be set in gold to bring out its full power. Ancient tribes often exchanged peridot as a token of peace when they were at war. In some temples in the Holy City of Jerusalem there are still pieces of peridot inlaid thousands of years ago.
From prayer beads in the hands of priests to the Holy Grail of medieval Europe, from the Ottoman Empire to the Victorians and Edwardians, peridot has always been prized. Especially during the reign of King Edward VII of England, he designated peridot as his favorite stone. So almost all art schools, no matter what style, would use peridot in their design. This is the main reason why Edwardian period was quite rich in peridot jewelry.
Properties and Origin of Peridot
Peridot is a magnesium iron silicate mineral. The iron content determines the color of peridot, which is mainly medium to dark grass green, yellowish-green, brownish green to green. Low levels of iron lead to lighter colors, while too high levels lead to darker colors. High-quality peridot will have a clear olive green or yellowish green color. They can be distinguished from similar gems by their characteristic color, characteristic inclusions, double shadow of posterior faceted edges, blue zone and three equally spaced iron absorption bands.
The famous origin of high-quality peridot is Saint John Island and Zabajad Island in Egypt in the Red Sea. Zabajad Island is composed of peridot, which is also mined in Mount Vesuvius in Italy, Snarum in Norway, Eifel region in Germany, Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, and Jilin and Hebei in China.
In addition to lava, peridot has a more romantic source in the stars -- it has been detected in many meteorites that have fallen to Earth in the past. However, the gem-grade peridot in meteorites is pretty rare. This kind of "alien" peridot, in the average jewelry store is almost not seen.
The Beautiful Meaning of Peridot
Peridot natural clarity is higher, color bright and pleasing to the eye, is loved by consumers. It gives people a sense of ease of mind and happiness, so it is also known as the "stone of happiness". Internationally, peridot is listed as "August birth stone" and "marriage 16 anniversary stone", a symbol of happy family, harmony, smart and intelligent.
Also, when peridot is ground into a powder, it is used as a medicine to treat asthma. It can be placed under the tongue to relieve thirst caused by high fever. At the same time, peridot can help relieve tension and make people feel relaxed and happy. It can also make people sleep peacefully, and more harmonious with the outside world. Green energy helps to accumulate wealth and ward off evil as a talisman.
High quality peridot is transparent olive green or yellow-green, green symbol of hope, yellow symbol of nobility. Beautiful olive green reminds people of nature and vitality, and the fresh green has the feeling of early spring. Therefore, wearing peridot is associated with peace, happiness, serenity and other good meanings. Peridot is also sweeping the jewelry market like a spring breeze.
How to maintain Peridot
Peridot is a quite fragile gem, and sudden heat can cause it to expand and crack. The physical properties of peridot determine that it cannot be used casually acidic or alkaline cleaning agent to clean, also cannot be put into the steam or ultrasonic cleaning machine.
When using detergent, shampoo or shower gel, remember to remove the peridot jewelry, so as not to be eroded or contaminated by moisture, because the cracks and dead corners of the jewelry is easy to deposit dirt.
In addition, the hardness of peridot is not high, so the jewelry inlaid with peridot must be stored separately, so as not to collision with other jewelry damage.
Why not go for your own peridot jewelry with extraordinary beauty and elegance now?!
Post time: Sep-19-2022