Peridot - Birthstone for August
Referred to by the Egyptians as “gem of the sun”, peridots have long been admired.
11/08/2023 Jewellery & Gems
Referred to by the Egyptians as “gem of the sun”, peridots have long been admired. It is even thought that Cleopatras infamous emerald collection may in fact have been peridot. The word peridot is believed to have Arabic roots, coming from ‘faridat’ which is Arabic for gem.
They are a bright and vibrant stone and are generally very clear stones when set in jewellery. Although most peridot of gem quality was formed in the earth’s upper mantle, some peridot was discovered to originate from meteorites.
It was long mistaken for other stones including emerald and topaz. In the shrine of the Three Holy Kings in the Cathedral of Cologne, Germany there are several 200 carat peridots adorning the shrine, long believed to be emeralds.
We have a wonderful sellection of peridot lots for our August auction, please refer to the catalogue for any further information.
