APPEARANCE OF PERIDOT

The Peridot (pronounced: pair•a•doe) is the yellowish to olive green gem variety of the mineral olivine. Olivine itself is comprised of two other minerals, fayalite and forsterite, the main composition of each being iron and magnesium, respectively. Though most Peridot is the magnesium rich forsterite, it’s the amount of iron in olivine which contributes most to the final color of Peridot, with amounts less than 15% resulting in the higher quality gems. Other trace elements that contribute to its color are nickel and chromium.

Like other gemstones, Peridot crystals are formed by intense heat and pressure beneath the Earth Continue reading →