Stone's names: Peridot, Chrysolite (golden yellow peridot).
Color: Peridot is a stone with a sparkling pale green color. It occurs in lime, yellowish green, olive green or medium dark green hues.
Description: [Mg,Fe] 2SiO4 Magnesium iron silicate
Peridot, also called precious olivine, is a gem-quality transparent green olivine. The crystals of peridot have a vitreous lustre and conchoidal fracture. Gem-quality olivine is a mineral that composes a lot of the earth's mantel, the layer below the crust. It is also common in basalts on the moon.
The name's origin: Chrysolite means "golden stone" in Greek.
Birthstone: Peridot along with sardonyx are birthstones of Leo (Lion): July. 23 - Aug. 22.
Wedding anniversary: Peridot is the anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage.
Varieties: Chrysolite is a golden yellow variety of peridot.
Care and treatment: As with all gems, protect peridot from scratches and sharp blows. Also avoid drastic temperature changes. Do not clean peridot in a home ultrasonic cleaner.
From the stone history: Peridot has been adored since ancient times and has been valued for centuries. People in the Middle Ages wore peridot to gain foresight and divine inspiration. Legend has it that pirates favored peridot to protect them against evil. Peridot was greatly prized by Egyptian Kings. Some of Cleopatra's emeralds were in fact peridots.
The deposit on Saint Johns Island in the Red Sea, that was mentioned by Pliny in his Natural History (AD 70), still produces fine gems.
Shopping guide: Peridot is a beautiful stone that wears well and looks beautiful with a lot of your wardrobe. Peridot is readily available in most sizes and a variety of shapes. Peridot should be priced about the same as a garnet or tourmaline. Be aware of a very good imitation of peridot that is actually a type of synthetic peridot.
Healing ability: This beautiful stone is worn or carried for general healing purposes. Peridot increases strength & physical vitality. Peridot protects against nervousness and aids in healing hurt feelings. It helps liver & adrenal function. Peridot is also thought to protect lungs, sinuses, and wrists from illness and injury.
Mystical power: Peridot is used to help dreams become a reality. This very popular stone is believed to attract love. The deep green hue of the peridot also suggests a connection in wealth-attracting.
Peridot calms a raging anger. It is also useful to dispel negative emotions, and it is believed to promote sleep when worn to bed.
Deposits: Peridot is found in Australia, Brazil, China, Eygpt, Burma, Pakistan, Norway, and USA (Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, and New Mexico).
Much of the today's Peridot comes from Arizona. Very large crystals are found in the Mogok district of Myanmar and in the Minas Gerais in Brazil.
Peridot has been mined from St John's Island in the Red Sea for over 3500 years. In 1994, an exciting new deposit of peridot was discovered in Pakistan, and these stones are among the finest ever seen.
