PERIDOT

REFRACTIVE INDEX     1.650  -  1.703
HARDNESS        6.5  -  7
SPECIFIC GRAVITY       3.28  -  3.48

MINERAL  CLASS         Olivine

 

Peridot is a wonderful gemstone that at its best takes on an attractive olive green hue. Other colors are available, but not as always as in demand as the Olive green color.  Besides olive green, Peridot comes in yellowish green, yellowish brown and brownish green.

 

 Peridot looks best in daylight.  Its brilliant green sparkle does not change in artificial light. Peridot is commonly a transparent stone. Inclusions can create a cloudy nature in larger stones. Peridot  Cat's Eye and Star Peridot (showing four rays of light) are known to be a rarity.

 

The main producer of this gemstone nowadays are  Pakistan (Kashmir region and Pakistan-Afghanistan border region) and is regarded as being of the finest quality. Beautiful Perodot gemstones  are also found in Myanmar and Vietnam.  Other deposits are found in Australia (Queensland), Brazil, China, Kenya, Mexico, Norway  South Africa, Tanzania and the US.