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August

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Peridot


Shining with a hebright green glow even at night, peridot was called the "gem of the sun" by ancient Egyptians and the "evening emerald" by Romans. It was a favorite gemstone of Cleopatra and was historically mistaken for emerald. The pronunciation of this popular gem is often confused and should be pronounced pair-ee-doh, as opposed to pair-ee-dot.

 

Just the facts

Peridot is the gem variety of olivine and exhibits colors ranging from golden lime greens to rich grass greens. Traditionally, the most coveted color hues have been the rich grass greens. however, many peridots with slight yellowish hues still exhibit attractive colors that are extremely popular. This once again demonstrates that your individual preference should always be the primary factor when collecting colored gemstones.


 Peridots Include:

Emerald-cut

Peridot

August's Birthstone

Major Sources

Burma, China, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa, Tanzania, USA & Vietnam

Colors Found

 Green to Yellowish Green

Family

Olivine: (Mg2Fe2)SiO4

Hardness

6.5 - 7

Refractive Index

1.65 - 1.70; Biaxial (+ or -)

Specific Gravity

3.28 - 3.48

Crystal System

Orthorhombic

 

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