As you know from this blog, many gems come in a variety of colors. For example, garnets come in several shades of red and green and black; topaz can be found in several shades of yellow, pale green, blue, red, pink, and black; rubies can be yellow, orange, green, brown, violet or purple. Peridot is one of the few gemstones that forms only in shades of green.
Not only is it the birthstone for August, Peridot is also the stone that celebrates the 16th year of marriage. And once again, I found some famous peridots:
- Some historians believe that Cleopatra’s famous emerald collection might actually have been peridot.
- For centuries, people believed the fabulous 200-ct. gems adorning the shrine of the Three Holy Kings in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral were emeralds. They are, in fact, peridots.
According to lore, peridots create abundance in all aspects of life: wealth, health, happiness and joy and has been prized since the earliest civilizations for its protective powers. Set in gold and worn around the neck or bound to the left arm, it was used as a charm against sorcery and magic, evil spirits, night terrors and madness. It also helps the wearer overcome fear, depression and other psychological disturbances.
Happy August!
I love the way the peridots and amethysts work so well together in this mother’s ring that I designed for a client. And as you can see, I think peridots look perfectly lovely with my Lotus collection.
