PeridotConsumer Information
What
color is it?: Generally yellowish green
to medium dark green
What is the story behind this gemstone?: For openers that word is "per-i-doh" not "per-i-dot" Unless, of course you drive a "chev-ro-let" instead of a "chev-ro-lay". Beyond that this is a gemstone that is coming of age. They have a soft color to them due to some unusual gemological properties that I will not bore you with in this section. But suffice it to say that peridot is a beautiful stone that wears well and looks beautiful with a lot of your wardrobe.
Can I wear it everyday?: Absolutely! Peridot is a very long wearing gemstone.
Is it expensive?: No. Peridot should be priced along the same lines as a nice tourmaline or garnet.
Is it a birthstone?: August
What do I need
to know before going shopping?: There is a rather nasty peridot
imitation stone being sold in some stores called synthetic
forsterite. This is a very good imitation that is actually
a type of synthetic peridot. So stay with a professional, independent
jeweler when you shop for peridot. They will be the only people
who can make sure you are getting the real thing.
General
Information
Source: World wide...like the beach rocks in Hawaii
Chemical: Mg2SiO4, Fe2SiO4
Formation: In volcanic rocks
Crystal System: Orthorhombic
Unusual Properties: Doubling of facets. If you look inside a peridot with a magnifying glass you will never be able to focus the back facet junctions. The stone splits the beam of light into two separate beams that cannot be focused.
Gemological
Information
An unusually large, well formed peridot crystal of 17.56 carats
Ri: 1.654 - 1.690
Birefringence: .038
Optic Character: B+
Specific Gravity: 3.34
Hardness: 6.5 - 7
Transparency: TP
Special Identifying Properties and Tests: Facet doubling and spectroscope are diagnostic for separation from most other green gemstones. Beware of the synthetic forsterite. Above you will see the classic "lily-pad" inclusion that is so often seen in natural peridot.
Synthetics: Yes
Imitations: Yes