You’ve probably seen diamonds, rubies and jade stones on rings and other types of pieces of jewelry, but what about peridot? Peridot is a gem that is yellowish-green in color and a transparent type of olivine. And even though it’s a birthstone, it is not worn as much as some other birthstones. In fact, many people with August birthdays don’t even know what peridot is until they perform an internet search for their birthstone!

Let’s get to know this pretty little gemstone a bit better. Below are some interesting facts about August’s birthstone. You’ll find peridot pieces available for 50 percent off at our jewelry store in Sterling Heights, MI this month!

• Peridot or chrysolite: Chrysolite is another name for peridot. This stone’s two names are used interchangeably when referring to gemstones in jewelry. Interestingly enough, during Ancient Greek times, “chrysos” meant “gold,” and “lithos” meant “stone.”
• It is found in varying shades: As far as gemstones go, peridot is one of very few stones that exist in only a single color. In this case, all peridot gems are green, but they’re found in different shades, ranging from pale green to bright lime green to olive green. The most sought after peridot gems are the ones that are sparkling lime-green, free of any yellow or brown hues. All shades of peridot green look beautiful paired with platinum or silver metals, which creates magnificent pieces of jewelry.
• It’s mined worldwide: Peridot gemstones were made famous in Egypt, but it is not mined there exclusively. In fact, many peridot mines can be found in the United States (Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii and Nevada), as well as in other countries, including China, Brazil, Australia, South Africa, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
• Cleopatra wore peridots: Egypt was the primary source of peridot gems during ancient times. As such, it makes since that the Egyptians would cast a spotlight on peridot. The stones were often made into talismans to ward off evil, but are most famously known for being the gemstone worn by Queen Cleopatra. Like many other people, you may have thought she wore emeralds, but they were in fact peridots. This belief was ingrained into minds because travelers at the time did not know of peridot, regularly mistaking the stone for darker green emerald gemstones.
• On display at the Smithsonian: Did you know that the Smithsonian Museum houses the world’s largest known peridot gemstones? One famous peridot is a 46.16 karat gemstone mined and fully extracted in Pakistan. Another large peridot that’s a part of the Smithsonian’s collection weighs 34.65 karats. It is a necklace with a modified triangular step gemstone that was found in Arizona on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation.

Peridots are commonly used for rings, pendants and earrings, and they can be cut into shapes ranging from oval to teardrop. In honor of August’s birthstone, Howard’s Fine Jewelry is having a sale on peridot jewelry. Ask us about how to get 50 percent off a lovely peridot piece! You are also welcome to visit our jewelry store in Sterling Heights, MI anytime for a close-up look at our selection of fine jewelry.