ABOUT PERIDOT

Known as the “evening gemstone” because its color intensifies in the moonlight. Peridot is most closely associated with exotic pale greens often with overtones of yellow. Olive greens with brownish overtones are also found and in exceedingly rare cases deep emerald green color are unearthed.

Peridot was first mentioned in writings dating to 300 B.C. and found by the Egyptians at Zabargad, a Red Sea island. Treasured by native Hawaiians whose ancient mythology termed these rarities, “Tears of the Goddess,” Pele. Volcanic eruptions have produced many Peridot large enough to be cut into gems.

Even the beaches of Oahu contain tiny grains of the pale green gem in their sands. Native American tribes of the San Carlos region in Arizona mine the majority of today’s Peridot, smaller than five carats. Larger sized stones are found at 15,000 feet above sea level in the Kashmir region of the Himalayas in Pakistan.