Peridot, Extraterrestrial and Terrestrial

Peridot Showpiece Necklace with matching earrings.

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Susan's Pick of the month is this spectacular showpiece that she had commissioned for our Sedona Gallery's tenth year anniversary. This necklace features multi-faceted shapes of peridot with matching earrings.  *Susan Heike Wilhelm is a designer and part owner with her husband, Joseph. 

Peridot, the birthstone for August and also the gemstone for the 15th wedding anniversary.  Peridot is gem quality olivine. It is found in lava, meteorites , and deep in the earth's mantle.The green color is caused by impurities of iron. 

Peridots can also have extraterrestrial origins in Pallasite meteorites.  Peridot as an interplanetary mineral found in the stony-iron content of the meteorite with yellowish green olivine. Touchstone gallery offers its customers this rare meteorite on occasion, please inquire if interested. 

Sources:
Egyptians first mined peridot on the Red Sea island of Zabargad. The remote island was obscured by fog most of the time and early navigators had difficulty finding the island. It is thought that the green gemstone used in Cleopatra's crown was more than likely peridot and not emeralds as originally thought. 

Today peridot is mined primarily in Egypt, from the once lost island of Zabargad in the Red Sea. Where fog made it difficult for the ancient mariners to navigate. It was rediscovered  in 1905. 

Myanmar, where the larger peridot is found several hundred carets in size. 
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​Arizona and New Mexico where it is eroded from parent rock. Ants remove these these grains in order to build their homes subsequently grains of peridot can be found among the small grains of gravel of their hills. Navajo Reservations are also a source of peridot. 

Touchstone gallery offers many choices in peridot jewelry and at affordable price points. We invite you to visit one of our gallery locations to see our many offerings in peridot. 

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Paua Shell with Peridot Earrings

Paua Shell Pendant with Peridot

Care:
​Olivines can range in hardness from 6.5 (fayalite) to 7 (forsterite). Thus, peridots can approach quartz gems in hardness. However, they are still sensitive to scratching from household dust (which has a hardness like quartz). Furthermore, they have some susceptibility to stress fractures.
Clean them only with a soft brush, mild detergent, and warm water. Peridots also have some sensitivity to acids, even those found in perspiration. Peridot jewelry should be worn against the skin only occasionally