Peridot, also known as “olivine”, is the gemstone representing August birthdays or the 16th wedding anniversary. It is said to bring luck and good health to the wearer. Some people are fortunate enough to have seen the best peridot stones so they love it, while many others seem to dislike or even say that they hate it. Regardless of how someone feels about this gem, peridot can be quite spectacular. So why all the possible hate? Perhaps they have only looked at poor quality stones.
Peridot is one of the softer birthstone gems with a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It can be scratched easily if not cared for properly. It is recommended that peridot jewelry should be cleaned by a very soft toothbrush with mild soap and warm water.
Peridot’s finest colors range from a saturated green to a slightly yellowish-green that has very little or no brownish tint. Lighter shades of green and smaller sized stones are more widely available and less expensive, so that is what most people may be familiar with when it comes to peridot. Some peridot, especially when cut incorrectly, can show strong optical doubling due to its double refractive properties. A well-cut peridot, however, will reduce this property dramatically to yield a very impressive and lively appearance.
