Folklore of Peridot, August's Birthstone

Peridot was considered a very spiritual stone in Ancient Egypt. Egyptian priests would brew a strong drink from the crushed up stones and partake of this hot beverage during ceremonies. It was believed that drinking peridot brought them closer to nature.  Egyptian priests also drank from cups lined with peridot to heal maladies and pay tribute to the goddess Isis.

Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, had a deep love of peridot. While many sources from the time describe her as bejeweled in emeralds there is much archaeological evidence that the stones people were taking as emeralds were actually peridot.

Peridots were often mistaken for emeralds.  In fact, the Romans called them the “evening emeralds” because of the way they caught and reflected lamplight.  There was a long held belief that peridot burned with an inner fire that would glow at night.  In some ancient cultures miners searched for peridot during the early evening or at night when they said it was the easiest to find.

Crusaders invading Egypt during the Middle Ages found the peridot mines on Zabargad and brought many of the gems back with them to Europe.   These were used to decorate their churches.  These stones had already played a heavy role in Christianity and appear numerous times in the Bible under the name chrysolite.  Aaron the Priest, brother of Moses, wore a peridot into battle. Peridots represent purity in Christian folklore and commonly ornament high-ranking Catholic Church officials.

 In Hawaii, peridots are rare, but as one of the few natural gems found on the islands, they quickly became a treasured part of native mythology. Tiny peridot pebbles washed up onshore, causing the Hawaiians to believe they were the tears of the goddess Pele.  Pele is associated with fire, lightning, and volcanoes.  In many stories Pele is a destructive goddess, but as the Hawaiian Islands themselves were formed from the explosion of the volcanoes beneath them, the Hawaiian people felt Pele was generous as well.  Peridot is one of the gifts it is said the goddess gave to the Hawaiian people.

Throughout history it was believed that peridot could cure respiratory problems such as asthma and that the gemstone acted as a salve to heart troubles. In the Middle Ages, peridot was placed under the tongue of sick people to reduce fevers.

Modern day belief regarding the peridot says that wearing one brings good luck and peace, as well as stronger friendships, success, and a knack for attracting wealth.   In modern new age tradition it is also supposed to help soothe the wearer to deep sleep, to dispel negative energy, and calm anger.


Information shared by:  Renee Mallett for Examiner.com and JewelryNotes.com

August's Birthstone, Peridot

Peridot is the official birthstone for the month of August as adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912.

Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color, an olive green. It is an Iron Magnesium Silicate, and the intensity and tint of the green depends on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure.  The color of individual peridot gems can vary from yellow- to olive- to brownish-green, with the darker shades of olive-green being the most prized.  Because it is similar in color to an emerald, peridot stones are often confused with emeralds, and some famous emeralds have turned out to be peridot.

From ancient times and in fact right up until the eighteenth century, Peridot was referred to as topazion or topaz.  The reason for this is believed to be because it was discovered on the island of Topazios, which today is commonly known as St. John's Island in Egypt.  Mining for this gemstone was extremely dangerous work as the island was infested with poisonous snakes, though they were later driven into the sea by a Pharaoh.

Egypt's St. John's Island historically was the major supplier of Peridot though this supply has since been exploited and sources have been depleted. Today China, Pakistan, and the United States are all vying for the title of the world's largest Peridot supplier. There are also known supplies of Peridot in Africa, Australia, Germany, Italy, Myanmar (Burma), Norway, and Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

Peridot can be a difficult stone for a gem cutter to cut due to the fact that it's rough crystals are quite easy to break.  Stones that contain numerous or heavy inclusions are generally cut as cabochons. The reason for this is that this shape provides the best possible appearance and helps to disguise inclusions.

Occasionally Peridots are enhanced with colorless oils or resins which reduce the visibility of the inclusions and improve the clarity of the stone. It is also known to occasionally improve the color.

Peridot is rated at a 6.5 to 7 on Moh's Scale of Hardness and while it is generally considered suitable for every day wear, care should be taken when wearing it in situations that could cause chipping or scratching.

Peridots can be cleaned in warm water with a mild detergent and a soft brush, then rinsed with warm water and patted dry. Always avoid ultrasonic cleaners and household chemicals that can effect the color and damage the stone. Peridots should be kept away from excessive amounts of heat and should also be kept away from long contact with perspiration, which can damage the stone over time. It is recommended that your Peridot be kept alone or separated from other jewelry items so as to avoid the gem being scratched.