3 Facts: What Don't You Know About Peridot?

Let's cut to the chase and get to the goods. The list of birthstones attributed to August has just grown to three, rivaling with that of December, both trios toned in natural colors you'd find all around us on earth and in sky.

The most well-known of birthstones for August babies is mineral olivine gem variety: Peridot. If it wasn't already your favorite, we're about to throw down some fun little known facts that might change your mind. (Photo of 4.98 ct. Peridot Designer-Cut Courtesy GIA.)

The Unbearable Being of Lightness

According to GIA, "Peridot has always been associated with light." Appropriately coined "gem of the sun," the stone is paired well with the astrological fire sign in Leo. As light often connotes purity and holiness in most beliefs, peridot was thought to, in ancient times, ward off evil or protect its owners from "terrors of the night." To this day, the visionary crystal is looked to for its high energies in guidance and revitalizing properties. True or not, good vibes are like a cherry on top.  

Green Envy

Ranging from hues most notably in greens yellowish to pure, Peridot was commonly confused for topaz and even, crowd-favorite of old world charm, emerald. Widely speculated by some historians, Cleopatra's famous emerald collection might have been, in actuality, peridot. If that doesn't get you to second guess its worth, here's a fact we found most fascinating: The 200 ct. gems "adorning the shrine of the Three Holy Kings in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral" believed for centuries to be emeralds are peridots (GIA). 

Lily, My One and Only

Sometimes taking a closer look is all we need to give us the right perspective. That's right, we're going there: clarity. You won't see very many inclusions in the majority of higher quality peridot gems in the market, but they're helpful in sizing up a stone's history and value based on type and characteristic. By the looks of the common disk-like, lily pad inclusions unique to this gem alone (when they are visible), we have to say there's more story here than most would think! 

The End is the Beginning is the End

We were going to stop at 3 because it just made sense with the theme, but we love sharing useful knowledge with you all and obviously weren't going to hold out. Peridot happens to be 4.5 billion years old. Does the number sound familiar? Some of the mineral is found in "pallasite meteorites, remnants born of our solar system's birth" (GIA). Chills? Chills. I mean, anything relating to realms of love and stardust is deemed romantic by default in our books. 

As the late Leonard Nimoy as Spock of Star Trek would say: "Fascinating." We hope you continue to be curious with us as we voyage on to other aspects of the jewelry world. Let us know what you'd like to see us write about next. Until then, F&B out.