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Peridot,
or Evening Emerald : the Gemstone for the Brave |
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Peridot
is the birthstone for the month of August and symbolizes success, peace
and good luck. People also believe Peridot is the gem for the brave.
The
word Peridot is thought to be derived from a French word, which refers
to olive green olivine. It's also known as Chrysolith, or "evening
emerald", and can often be found in peritite, or basalt rocks.
Peridot
possesses a hardness measurement in a scale of between 6.5 -7, with a
specific gravity of 3.34, and a refractive index of between 1.654 and
1.690, while its chemical composition is iron-magnesium-silicate. Its
fracture is conchoidal and crystal format is orthorhombic. Peridot is
one among those very rare gems that feature a green color only, which
varies from a yellowish-green hue, to an olive green, or even an earthen-tinted
green.
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One of the
most popular Peridots is a transparent green with minimal traces of other
hues. Peridot is often mistaken for emerald, or beryl, as they are all
of a similar color.
Peridot was
mined in ancient Egypt on an island called Zeberget. Mining was normally
done at night as it was said Peridot could not easily be seen in daylight,
but at night, its pale luminescent green was easily illuminated by lamplight.
This particular characteristic later prompted the Romans to call Peridot
the "evening emerald." Peridot was later used to decorate the
interiors of medieval churches in Europe, when it was probably brought
back by the Crusaders.
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Peridot was
considered to possess the power to drive away evil spirits and protect
the wearer. Warriors, in ancient times, wore a Peridot talisman, as they
believed it would bring them personal power and bravery. This power was
believed to be even more intense when the stone was set in gold.
In terms of romance, Peridot
is believed to be instrumental in maintaining emotional and mental stability.
Married couples often wear a Peridot pendant each, to ensure a rich and
happy married life.
Peridot is
also believed to have medicinal qualities, aiding the function of the
digestion system, the spleen, gall bladder, liver and pancreas, as well
as being acknowledged as a remedy for asthma.
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Tiffany & Co. |
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A
significant Peridot deposit has been discovered on St. John's Island
in the Red Sea, where it is considered to be one of the best quality
examples of the "evening emerald" genus to be found. Usually,
where Corundum is found, Peridot, Zircon and Spinel will also be
present.
Another
source of the well-known Peridot is to be found in Myanmar, although
the quality tends to vary. However, the Peridot found in Mokok appears
to possess a unique quality. Peridot is also mined in the San Carlos
Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, USA, as well as in Hawaii.
In 1990, a new deposit of Peridot was discovered in Pakistan, with
its quality being similar to that found in Myanmar. Peridot deposits
have also been found in Australia, Brazil, China, Mexico, Norway,
Sri Lanka and Vietnam. |
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Anzie |
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