Birthstones
Stones: Natural Synthetic
Peridot

Peridot

The August Birthstone

14k Yellow Gold Peridot
w/ Diamond Drop Earrings

Peridot is one of the "official" birthstones for August. It's a variety of forsterite olivine and, as the name would suggest, is a green gemstone. The exact shade varies from a yellowy green to a more browny green depending on the iron content of the stone.

Peridot is also called chrysolite ("gold stone"), however there has historically been some confusion over the exact usage of the terms "chrysolite", "peridot" and "olivine".

Although olivine is fairly common, gem quality peridot is less so. It is mined numerous countries around the world including the US, South Africa and Australia. Peridot is also sometimes found in meteorites.

Symbolism and Lore

There isn't a lot of mythology connected with peridot, it seems that in ancient times the stone was underrated - many would say that it still is today.

In some old writings peridot was incorrectly referred to as topaz (both are rhombic silicates) so it's possible that lore concering one can also relate to the other.

A well-cut peridot can be mistaken for an emerald by a layman. Cleopatra was a great fan of emeralds and it's been suggested that some of her stones were actually peridot.

The green colour has often caused peridot to be connected with nature and it has been called the "spring gem". It's generally considered a healthy, positive and peaceful stone.