Bright green peridot is the perfect stone for your summer wardrobe and one of the few gemstones that occur in only
one color, an bright olive green. The vivacity and hue of the green, depends on how much iron is in the chemical make-up of the mineral. The color of the gems can vary from yellow-to lime-to olive-to brownish-green. The most valued color is a dark olive-green. Green is the color of life, growth, balance and healing so the peridot was used frequently all over the ancient world and has become very popular again in modernity. It was used in Egyptian jewelry as far back as the early 2nd millennium B.C by high priests to guard against jealousy. The ancient Romans were also fond of this gem to relieve depression because of its green radiance, which doesn't diminish even in unnatural light. Peridots can be found all over the world and only comes in one color: various shades of green. The most beautiful ones are found on the border or Pakistan and Afghanistan and in Myanmar. The largest cut peridot is a 310 carat (62 g) stone which is housed in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.
Rough Uncut Peridot Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons