Understanding Peridot Birthstone

Peridot, the birthstone of August is a golden green sparkling stone that is quite popular today and has been used as an adornment for thousands of years.

This clear and stunning gemstone is unchanging in color, even when the light fades and is often referred to as "evening emerald". This stone was popular in ancient Egyptian jewelry and is often paired with other gemstones in contemporary sterling silver jewelry.

Peridot was not only popular in jewelry but was also found to be used in Medieval churches as an adornment and accessory for the church. The tranquil green color can be very calming so you can see why it has been so popular throughout the ages.

Peridot has had it's uses as a healing stone as well. In Hawaii, this stone symbolizes the tears of the goddess Pele and teeny stones can be found on some of the beaches. Taken internally, it is thought to help relieve asthma and the stone is also thought to bring power and influence to those who own it.

Peridot which is found in the Red Sea island of St Johns, China, Pakistan, New Mexico, Arizona and Burma is composed of iron, magnesium and silicate can range in color from olive to brownish green to yellow-green. The stone is not very hard and must be cut carefully as it can easily be broken during cutting.

Peridot is a type of stone that is suited for everyday wear. It is not a heavy stone and will not "take over" your whole outfit. This stone requires minimal care and can go with casual as well as formal wear. Although you can wear peridot at any time of year, it is particularly suited for summer wear. The lime green color is a perfect accent for most summer colors including white, turquoise, peach and yellow.

Peridot can be set into necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets and looks great in both gold and silver settings. This gemstone is striking when used alone in jewelry but also works well with other stones including turquoise, iolite, amethyst, garnet and citrine.

When buying peridot be aware that some stones are treated with waxes or resins to enhance color. The best color to choose when shopping for peridot is a vivid lime green color with no brownish tones. As with any gemstone, the larger the stone the more you can expect to pay and you won't find many larger than 3 carats. As with any jewelry, pick the best you can afford in a style that you love and you can't go wrong!

The Truth About Gemstones

The Truth About Gemstones

Gemstone treatments, fakes & composites

Most gemstones used in jewelry have been treated to improve their appearance. Treated gemstones can be a good choice when you know what you are buying and pay a price that reflects a stone's true quality.

Common Gemstone Treatments

Heat and radiation can change or enhance colors.

Diffusion is used to deepen color. It only changes a stone's outer layers.

Oil and waxes are used to enhance color by filling-in fine surface cracks.

Fracture filling, which coats stones with a clear or colored epoxy resin or other substance. This treatment fills-in cracks, which improves the appearance of the stone.

Laser drilling removes inclusions (flaws), improving clarity.

Some gemstone treatments are permanent, others are not. Heat treatments create permanent color changes in some stones, but temporary changes in others.
Always ask if the jewelry you intend to purchase contains treated gemstones. If it does, ask which treatments were used and if those treatments are permanent.

Imitation Gemstones

Imitation, or simulated, stones may look like the real thing, but that's where the similarities end. They do not have any of the same physical characteristics of a natural or synthetic gemstone.

Imitation stones are often made of glass or plastic and most can be detected easily by a jeweler.

A stone that's mounted on a solid back might have foil underneath to make it look more brilliant or change its color.

Moissanite is a newer diamond substitute that's even fooling the pros. It is not a fake—it is a synthetic version gemstone that's only been found in very small quantities in nature.

It's a problem when moissanite or other substance that resembles a similar gem is resold as the more expensive gemstone by someone who either doesn't know the difference, or intends to deceive.

Watch for Composite Stones

A composite is a smaller piece of a desirable, genuine stone that's been combined with a larger chunk of an inexpensive or imitation gemstone.


Doublets are composite stones where a larger, inexpensive chunk is topped by a thin slice of a genuine stone. The division usually isn't obvious without magnification.

One type of doublet sandwiches a colored bonding agent between two clear, inexpensive stones to mimic a colored gemstone.

Triplets are composites assembled in three parts.

Be a Careful Shopper

Jewelry made with synthetic, treated, and imitation stones can be gorgeous—there's no reason to avoid it. What you do want to avoid is paying too much for misrepresented merchandise.

Read as many resources as possible and start looking more closely at jewelry. Ask questions when you shop. It won't make you an overnight pro, but in time it will help you become a more savvy consumer.


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