Peridot: The Golden Gem of Egypt

At times overlooked in the gemstone world, peridot is nothing short of spectacular natural occurrence. If anything, the way this gem is formed is glorious at the very least.

Just like diamond, it forms as a result of pressure but not in earth’s crust. Instead, it’s birthed in the molten rock of the upper mantle and brought to the surface by no other than volcanoes and earthquakes. Therefore, in Hawaii, peridot symbolizes the tears of Pele – the volcano goddess of fire who controls the flows of lava. Some cool stuff, that is!

Known as the national gemstone of Egypt, peridot was first mined there centuries ago in a small island in Red Sea. In Egypt peridot is referred to as “the gem of the sun” as it is believed that it protects the wearer from the terrors of the night.

Today, the largest peridot deposits are in San Carlos town in Arizona, near the Apache Indian Reservations. Around 85% to 90% of all world peridots come from there. Other places include Pakistan, Myanmar, Tanzania, Vietnam, China, and Antarctica.

On Mohs scale of hardness, peridot is ranked at 6.5. Due to its vast availability it is a relatively inexpensive compared to other gems.

Peridot is associated with cycles of life and removal of emotional struggles from one’s body. It is also celebrated as the stone of protection and, in ancient cultures, it served as an evil eye to guard from malice and negative energy.