Best Places to Buy Peridot Jewelry Online 2022: A Detailed Guide

Do you know what peridot is? If you are not neck-deep into jewelry, chances are you don’t. Or maybe you’ve heard of it but your knowledge about this semi-precious gemstone is not overpowering enough to make you try to add it to your jewelry collection. Luck is smiling on you today, as this article about peridot. And if you read through this, we will also show you the best places to buy peridot jewelry online 2022.

But first things first…

What is Peridot

The word “peridot” is derived from péridot, the French word for gold. Another line of thought is that it is taken from faridat, the Arabic term for a gem. Hawaiians call peridot tears of Pele—the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and lava, and for the ancient Egyptians, it was known as the “gem of the Sun.”

Regardless of its etymology, there is no argument about the beauty of this green gemstone that exudes a certain degree of mysterious appeal.

Contrary to other gemstones, peridot has only one color—lime green. But it comes in different shades. This gemstone belongs to the Olivine family of crystals and its color is caused by iron impurities within the stone. For example, ferrous iron (FeO) creates green peridot, while ferric iron (Fe23) gives peridot a yellowish shade.

Peridots are formed deep within the Earth’s mantle, brought to the surface by volcanic activity. They are also found within meteorites together with other crystals that are about 4 billion years old.

The stone was first found on Topazos (now known as St. John’s Island), a small island in the Red Sea. Then in the 1990s, deposits were discovered in Pakistan—where some of the finest peridots are found. But if you’re asking “where does the best quality peridot come from?”—Pakistan has a competitor—Myanmar (Burma). Peridots from these countries are of the best quality.

Regardless of origin, which peridot is best? The best peridot is deep green in color, with no eye-visible inclusions. A few tiny black spots may be tolerable if they are only visible under magnification.  

Is peridot worth a lot of money? Not really. High-quality peridot stones go between $400 to $450/carat.

A bit of Peridot History

• The use of peridot can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians who used the stone as talismans and ornaments.

• For many years, it was taken as emeralds. In fact, it is believed that Cleopatra’s collection of emerald jewelry was actually peridots. Another example is the 200-carat stones that make up the Three Holy Kings in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral are peridots, not emeralds.

• During the Middle Ages, peridots were worn to provide foresight and inspiration. Romans wore them to protect against enchantment.

• In 2005, peridot was found in comet dust collected by the space probe, Stardust.

• Peridot is the birthstone for August and the gemstone for the 16th wedding anniversaries.

• The largest peridot ever found at 310-carat is being kept at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C., as part of its collection.

Peridot meaning and symbolism

• Because of its green color, peridot is often associated with money, prosperity, and good fortune.

• Some Middle Eastern cultures tied peridot strands on their donkey’s hair to ward off evil spirits.

• Ancient Egyptian priests used goblets encrusted with peridot to communicate with Nature and their gods.

• Peridots were thought to heal respiratory ailments, insomnia, and bleeding. It was also thought to improve memory and ease labor pains during delivery.

• For years, peridots were used as talismans for personal protection and to promote love,  happiness, and wealth.

Peridot in Jewelry

The gemstone looks absolutely stunning, yet costs significantly lesser than other gemstones. However, its sales volume goes up or down together with the overall jewelry market (see chart).

Though peridot is a soft gemstone, only 6.5 to 7 Mohs, it is used in a lot of jewelry items like necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets (like the one in this Judith Ripka review. But you need to exercise care in wearing them because they can easily get scratched or damaged. Cleaning them is not a big issue. Just use a solution of warm water and mild dish soap. Soak them overnight then slowly brush off the dirt and grime with a soft-bristle toothbrush

Peridot and Sapphire Jewelry

Some people compare peridot and sapphire jewelry. Both look beautiful and elegant in their own way. But at the end of the day, it is all a matter of choice. For the record, however, they are different in many ways like:

• Color: peridot comes only in green with some variations in tint, while sapphire comes in several colors with blue as the most dominant.

• Hardness: sapphire is hard at 9 on the Mohs scale while peridot is 7 at most.

• Price: sapphires can cost up to thousands of dollars per carat while peridots can be bought at a much lesser price.

Fake Peridots

Just like any gemstone, the market is awash in fake peridots, as well. These are usually green-colored glass cut to look like this semi-precious stone. They are fairly simple to detect. These simple tips will do the trick

Eye test

Check the color. Real peridot has a pure green color with traces of yellow or brown. If you detect any other colors, the stone is fake.

Check for double refraction

Double refraction means seeing two of each pavilion facet when examining the stone closely. To check for double refraction. hold the stone against a light. If you can’t see it, the stone is fake.

Check for imperfections

Peridots are soft and are prone to getting scratched. Check the surface for minute scratches or cracks. If it is too perfect, chances are that it is a fake.

Also, look into the gemstone for inclusions. Natural peridots have inclusions if examined under magnification. If what you see are bubbles, it is likely to be fake.

Check its color under different lights source

Peridot is a unique gemstone—its color doesn’t change under different light sources. It remains the same if exposed to either natural or artificial light. A fake stone will show a different shade.

Tips for Buying Peridot

Buying peridot jewelry peridot is like buying any other kind of jewelry—it takes a little bit of savvy and good judgment. Here are a few tips that may spell the difference between a good buy and a bad one.

Consider cut quality

Peridot looks stunningly beautiful if cut to a high quality. While there may not be such a thing as the “best shape,” try to choose one that plucks your emotional strings. Let your inner self guide your choice.

Check its eye-cleanness

Like any other gemstone, peridots have inclusions. But don’t look for inclusion-free stones as there aren’t any in the market. Instead, settle for something that is eye-clean, meaning, no inclusion is visible to the naked eye.

Look for pure green stones

What color peridot is most valuable? Pure green, with traces of brown or yellow, is the most desirable and sought-after color. Avoid stones that are brownish. They are of low quality and less appealing.

Use yellow or rose gold setting

The green peridot color looks beautiful on yellow or rose gold metal settings. They complement each other.

Not only does the combination create an excellent effect. an awesome effect. But here’s the catch—white gold or other rhodium-coated metals can also produce pits on the peridot. They also need to be cleaned or re-plated every few years.

Combine peridot rings with pavé and/or halo diamonds

The appearance of peridot rings can be greatly enhanced and complemented with pavé or halo diamond accent stones. They give more brilliance to the ring, making it more eye-catching.

Best Places to Buy Peridot Jewelry Online 2022

There are several online stores selling peridot jewelry. While it may look as if you have unlimited choices to buy your jewelry from, you need to tread carefully—like walking on thin ice. You can plunge into freezing waters at a moment’s notice. The rule of thumb in buying expensive items like jewelry is to buy it from well-known and reliable jewelry stores—like those below.

Kay Jewelers

Kay Jewelers is on the top spot among jewelry stores for a good reason. It has a wide array of gems in-house, as well as a treasure trove by going online. Kay Jewelers boasts around 60 different peridot pieces as well as jewelry like earrings, pendants, and rings (like the one below). Check out this Kay Jewelers review to know more about the shop’s designs.

Unfortunately, LeVain designs don’t come cheap. Kay Jewelers is about as high-end as you can get online. Yes, they are beautifully designed, but they do command a higher price just for the name.

Zales

Zales is a recent cousin store to Kay and both are managed by the giant jewelry monopoly, Signet Jewelers. It also owns other well-known jewelry stores like Jared, Kay, Zales, and most recently, James Allen, and other stores throughout the U.S.

That being the case, a lot of Zales peridot products are similar to Kay’s collection. You will find the wide selection of peridot jewelry it offers online. It has pages and pages of drop earrings, hoop earrings, high-end rings, and something you might want to lay your hands on—a beautiful peridot tennis bracket.

Zales also sells gold-plated peridot jewelry. While they may look awesome, it is suggested that customers keep away from them. Gold-plating will eventually wear off, making certain parts of your jewelry look unsightly.

The jewelry store also does not cover peridot stones in any of its jewelry. It will replace at a cost. The store’s Jewelry Protection plan only covers all metalwork like resizing, resetting, and tightening gemstones. Repairs like holding rings, chains, and rhodium re-plating are included in the package.

James Allen