GEM TALK ON PERIDOT - BIRTHSTONE FOR AUGUST

 

When shopping for Peridots, the factors you must consider are:

  1. COLOR – peridots come in a wide range of greens with ‘rich grass green’ being the best quality. Always choose a color with a good overtone & equal distribution; avoid brown-green tones
  2. SIZE - the bigger the size the more expensive; it is rare to find a large sized ‘rich grass green’ peridot
  3. COUNTRY – The best quality peridot come from Zabargad, Myanmar & Pakistan – they have a vivid green hue. Commercial quality peridots come mainly from Arizona which are green-yellow color
  4. CLARITY – the best quality is ‘eye clean’ clarity. Peridots with visible inclusion or some black spots are of a lower value.
  5. LIGHTING – peridots are not light dependant; they maintain the same color under sunlight and artificial light.

Whilst the shape, cut & size is a personal preference, the color is an important factor to consider.

Peridots rank 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, which makes them a soft gemstone.

To care for your peridot jewelry:

  1. I recommend not wearing them daily especially rings as we tend to use our hands a lot which may cause the stone to scratch or crack easily
  2. Never use a steam or ultrasonic cleaner, as peridots are vulnerable to thermal shock.
  3. Over the time, your peridot jewelry can get a build-up of oils or perfumes which may cause peridots to loose their lustre & look dull. Simply soak your jewelry pieces in a bowl of lukewarm water with mild suds or detergent.  Use a soft toothbrush to scrub and then rinse & wipe them. I personally recommend doing this while seated at a table & avoid cleaning your jewelry over the sink in case your jewelry piece slips from your hand.
  4. Avoid exposing peridots to large temperature changes - exposure to a lot of heat causes their color to fade
  5. Being a soft stone, peridot should be stored away from other jewelry.  I personally like to wrap softer gemstones in cotton & then put them in a pouch
  6. Wear your lotions & perfumes prior to wearing any jewelry.