Natural Peridot: Complete Guide for Trade, Jewelry, and Collections

This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know about natural peridots, for trade partners, jewelers, and collectors alike.

Overview

Natural peridot, also called chrysolite is a gem-quality variety of olivine cherished for its beautiful olive to lime-green colors. With a hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, peridot is durable and suitable for various types of jewelry, including rings, necklaces, and earrings. This gemstone is often associated with light and warmth, making it a popular choice for both fashion and fine jewelry. Its historical significance and unique characteristics have established peridot as a sought-after gemstone in the market. Understanding its properties, sources, and market dynamics is essential for anyone involved in its trade or collection.

Physical Properties and Specifications

  • Chemical Composition: (Mg, Fe)₂SiO₄

  • Hardness: 6.5 - 7 on the Mohs scale

  • Crystal System: Orthorhombic

  • Refractive Index: 1.654 - 1.689

  • Specific Gravity: 3.27 - 3.37

  • Pleochroism: Weak, typically shows slight color variations

  • Fluorescence: Generally inert, but some specimens may fluoresce weakly

  • Cleavage/Fracture: Perfect cleavage in one direction, conchoidal fracture

Color and Quality Classifications

Available Color Ranges

  • Primary hues: Green

  • Secondary modifications: Yellowish-green, brownish-green

  • Tone and saturation ranges: Light to dark tones with vivid saturation

  • Premium colors: Bright lime green and olive green

  • Commercial grades: Light shades and less saturated colors

Clarity Characteristics

  • Typical inclusion types: Iron inclusions, crystals, and color zoning

  • Clarity grading standards: Eye-clean to included

  • Source-specific features: Unique inclusions that may indicate origin

  • Eye-clean criteria: No visible inclusions to the naked eye

Source Locations and Material

Historic sources

  • Egypt, Myanmar (Burma), and the USA (Arizona)

Current production

  • Significant production is currently from the USA, China, and Pakistan.

Source-specific characteristics

  • Each location imparts distinct characteristics in color and clarity.

Production trends

  • Increasing demand for peridot has led to rising prices, especially for high-quality specimens.