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Stone Lore
Peridot comes from the Arabic word
"faridat", which means gem. In the
18th century the French were the
first to call this yellowish-green
stone peridot. Peridot was called
topaz until the 18th century. As
early as 1500B.C. the Egyptians
used peridot as a gem, and it was
considered the "gem of the sun".
It was believed, to develop its full
strength as a talisman, it had to be
set in gold. Legend tells us that
miners searched for peridot crystals
at night, as moonlight made them
easier to see. They would mark the
location and come back in the
daylight to dig them up. Peridot is
the birthstone for August and is
designated for the 3rd wedding
anniversary.
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Peridot is the birthstone for for the month of
August & anniversary gemstone for the 16th
year of marriage.
Peridot, the volcanic gem, is the best known gem variety
of mineral olivine, a species name for a series of
magnesium-iron rich silicate minerals. This bright
yellow-green to green gemstone has caught the fancy
of humans for thousands of years.
Some historians even suspect that at least some of the
"emeralds" worn by Cleopatra were actually peridot.
The Romans called peridot "evening emerald," since its
green color did not darken at night but was still visible
by lamplight.
Peridot later was also often used to decorate medieval
churches. Large peridots, close to 200 carats in size,
decorate the shrine of the three magi at the Cologne
Cathedral.
Peridot was mined in ancient Egypt on an island called
Zeberget. Mining was done at night because legend said
that peridot could not be easily seen during the day. The
island was infested with serpents who made peridot mining
a very dangerous occupation until one Pharoh finally had
them all driven into the sea.
Much of its recent popularity can be explained by its
currently being recognized as the birthstone for the month
of August, people wear the stone because it is supposed
to bring the wearer success, peace, and good luck. The
United States was for many years the largest producer of
peridot, the value of production in 1999 was estimated to
be about $1.5 million, according to the USBM. The United
States is getting major Competition from China and
Pakistan for the title of world's largest producer.
The earliest recorded production of peridot was in about
70 A.D. from St. Johns Island in the Red Sea, about 24
miles off the coast of Egypt. Most of the earliest known
peridot gems came from this location and small amounts
of material are still being produced from there today. Later,
very large, fine-quality peridot was produced from deposits
in Myanmar (formerly Burma). These deposits were well
known for their 20- to 40-carat cut stones of superb color
and clarity.
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