Peridot History and Lore

Peridot’s signature juicy green apple color has been desired since ancient times.  Peridot (pronounced pair-uh-doe or pair-uh-dot) is a French word derived from faridat, an Arabic word meaning “gem.”  Ancient Egyptians considered peridot to be a “gem of the sun” and many early civilizations used peridot as a talisman for protection, healing, increasing abundance in one’s life and bringing peaceful sleep. 

Hawaiians believe peridot, especially the gems found at Papakolea Beach, one of only four green sand beaches in the world, is the tears of Pele, Goddess of Fires and Volcanos and often refer to peridot as “Hawaiian Diamonds.”

Peridot is the National Gem of Egypt and the historical birthstone for September and zodiac sign of Libra. In 1912, peridot become the modern birthstone for August.  Peridots are also commonly given as gifts for 16th wedding anniversaries.

Origins and Gemology

Varying in shades from yellow-green, lime green, to deep olive green, peridot is the gem-quality form of the mineral olivine, a magnesium iron silicate mineral with the iron being the element responsible for peridot’s signature color range.  Peridot is only one of two gemstones, the other being diamond, that form in the molten rock of the Earth’s upper mantle, rather than in its crust, and brought to the surface via the force of volcanos and earthquakes. While the majority of peridots are from our planet, the rarest of these gems have extraterrestrial origins in meteorites.   

Documented tales of peridot’s mining origins trace back over 4,000 years to the Ancient Egyptian island of Topazios, now known as Saint John’s Island or Zabargad (the Arabic word for Olivine), in the Red Sea.  Peridot was so beloved by the Egyptians that this mining site, designated for mining gems exclusively for Egyptian royalty, was keep a secret for over 3,500 years before it was abandoned during the fall of the Egyptian empire and then rediscovered in 1905.  Years of heavy mining has depleted the gem resources there, but, fortunately peridot is also found in China, Kenya, Myanmmar (Burma), Pakistan, Sri Lanka and United States, which has the world’s richest peridot mine located within the San Carlos Apache Reservation, 90-miles east of Phoenix, Arizona.

Caring for peridot jewelry

Peridot jewelry can be cleaned with warm water and gentle soap.  Let your jewelry pieces soak for a few minutes and then gently scrub with a soft brush, like an old toothbrush, rinse and let dry on a soft lint free cloth.  Never use an ultrasonic or steam cleaners on peridot gems, these methods will damage peridots. Peridots can also be scratched by harder stones, including diamonds, rubies and sapphires, so it’s best to store peridot jewelry separately from jewelry pieces featuring these gems.

Please note, all metaphysical and healing properties listed are collected from a variety of sources and shared for educational, historical and entertainment purposes only. The authors and Michelle Pajak-Reynolds Studios LLC do not guarantee the validity of such statements nor is any of this information meant to treat medical conditions. If you have a medical concern, please consult your medical provider for appropriate treatment options.