Peridot? More like Peri-DO! Happy August everyone! With the balmy weather, it’s only fitting that Peridot, the birthstone of the month, is formed within the earth’s core and brought to the surface by volcanoes. Associated with Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire, this gorgeous green gem is totally under appreciated. Jewelry featuring Peridot is a great long-run investment; ranging in color from verdant green to olive and golden brown, these stones seamlessly transition from the Summer to Fall season!
Fun Facts About Peridot:
1) Peridot is often associated with and given as a gift on a couple’s 16th Anniversary. Representing love, loyalty commitment and harmony, the stone even has it’s own poem! “Wear a Peridot or for thee, No conjugal fidelity, The August born without this stone,`Tis said, must live unloved alone”.
2) In ancient times, Egypt was the primary source of the Peridot, referred to as ‘Gem of the Sun’. In fact, Cleopatra was known not to wear emeralds, but it’s evening cousin, the Peridot!
3) The Etymology of the name Peridot is still argued within the scholarly community, some believing it to come from the French word “Peritot” (meaning unclear, a reference to the yellowish tinge in the stone), others ascribing to the theory that Peridot is derived from the Arabic word ‘Faridat’ (meaning gem) or Greek word “peridona” (meaning richness).