Peridot ringsPrecious stones or gems have always held an inexplicable allure for mankind. Besides the fascinating appearance of the polished gems, diverse ancient cultures have attributed almost similar magical or spiritual properties to different stones. They were believed to have differing abilities to bring good fortune, healing from sickness, and protection from harm and evil. One would have expected that the progressive thinking of scientifically inclined modern societies would reject primitive tastes and beliefs. But this has not been the case with gems.
The most wealthy and sophisticated members of society place the highest value on the rarer precious stones, and they try to accumulate as many of them as possible. Even the belief in their mystical powers is still very strong. History of the Peridot: Peridot is a variety of an olivine in its gem form. Pronounced pair-a-doe, it is not a proper mineral but a combination of forsterite and fayalite. It is also called chrysolite (golden stone), peridona (make affluent) and topazion by the Greeks. The origins of the term are also attributed to the French peritot meaning indistinct, the Arabic faridat meaning precious stone, and the Hebrew pitdah one of the gems in the breastplate of the high priest.
The Romans called it topazius. Egyptians have used the peridot as an ornament from as early as the 2nd millennium B.C. Cleopatra was reported to be very fond of it. They were excavated from volcanic deposits on an island (Zagbargad or Zebirget) in the Red Sea, off Aswan. The site remained unexplored for centuries, till a renewed interest around 1900 depleted its supply. The gem is now available from several sites, including Kashmir, Afghanistan, the USA, China, Africa, Australia, and Myanmar (Burma). The best quality stones are from Kashmir. The color and clarity of these fine crystals are amazingly beautiful. Kashmiri peridots are placed in the same category as the renowned Kashmiri sapphires.
The Burmese stones also are very attractive, having a vibrant light green shade and a silky shine. Its sources in the USA are mainly inArizona, Salt Lake crater, andHawaii. Stones fromArizona have a faint yellow or golden brown tint. These are of a lower grade but readily available (about 75% of the total production) and comparatively cheaper. Other sources of the gem include Pakistan, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, Ethiopia, etc. The Kashmiri, Egyptian and Burmese gems are rated the best.
Ornamental designs:
Peridot is not easy to work on, and cutters need delicate skill to cut it to precision. The rough inclusions have to be removed first or they may cause the stone to crack. Without these the stone is very firm and durable. Imaginative jewelry designers can create magnificent ornamental stones from the beautifully colored peridot. The gemstones for rings can be cut in a range of attractive shapes and sizes. Rough stones are available in fairly large sizes, and expert cutters have successfully cut out gems of more than 100 carats which have remarkable clarity and scintillating green color. In order to get the best possible effect out of a stone, an expert cutter will make a careful assessment of its physical attributes and then decide on the type of cut for the stone, its shape and its size. Modern fashions allow the designers and cutters to give their creative skills almost unrestricted freedom.
Many knowledgeable customers will have their own artistic designs, and the cutter will select the best stone for that particular design to ensure that it retains maximum possible carat weight. Its cut is dependent on its crystalline shape and structure, and may be faceted or table cuts. Round, oval, octahedron, antique, etc. are also common. While small stones conform to standard cuts, the larger stones can be successfully experimented upon. The domed effect of cabochons is best if the stone is heavily included, since it heightens the delicate shimmer of the inclusions. The Peridot rings should be vigilantly designed to have the best effect. The band for the ring is normally gold or platinum. The design of the ring can range from plain to very intricate, from traditional to modern and trendy. The size and shape of the wearer and hand should be appropriately studied before decide on the pattern of the stone and the ring. Small hands and delicate fingers need elegantly sophisticated or tastefully modern designs.
Rings for children should be pretty and subtle to set off the peridot ring. More elaborate designs look better on larger fingers. Filigree work on rings is quite common. Contemporary designs can appear fashionably conspicuous too. Some of the traditional designs have an irresistible allure that transcends time. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the peridot is that it comes in just one color a luxuriant, verdant green with a light, golden hue. The stone contains varying quantities of iron that are responsible for the tinge of gold. Generally the iron content is less than 15%. Slight traces of nickel and chromium also lead to minor alterations in the hue. The tints can be olive, yellowish green or brownish green.
When being set in a ring, the color of the stone should be watchfully selected. If it is a solitaire, the stone should be of top color and clarity. The color of the peridot is brilliantly accentuated when set with appropriate other gems, especially with diamonds. The Cats eye peridot and the Star peridot are rated as the best of this variety of precious stone. They are extremely rare and very valuable. The pallasite is an unusual variety found in iron-nickel meteorites.
Conclusion:
The constant green color of the stone in any kind of light gives it the name evening emerald. It has often been baffled with other green gems like emerald, green garnets, apatite, green sinhalite, moldavites, green tourmaline, green zircon, and even topaz. Considering the different qualities of peridot itself, along with its numerous look-alikes, those on the lookout for a genuine, top quality peridot would do well to get the advice of an expert.
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