For those of you reading this that are wondering how much Peridot costs, your first initial thought is probably, what is peridot? Peridot is a magnesium-rich variety of Olivine, which is a crystal found in Earth’s subsurface.
It gets its signature olive green color from the amount of iron that is found within it. While many people shy away from its signature color, it’s actually what makes it special because it is one of only a few gemstones that can only be found in one color, olive-green.
The richer the color the larger the amount of iron that the stone has.
Peridot is also one of only two gems not found in the Earth’s crust but in molten rock of the upper mantle.
The second gemstone that is also found in the mantle is none other than the ever-popular diamond. This makes this gem pretty cool because that means that peridot can either be found in magma brought to the surface by tectonic or volcanic activity or sometimes by meteors that crashed into the earth. Pretty cool, right?
Now that you know why peridot is so special, I bet you absolutely need to have a piece of peridot jewelry in your collection! So, let’s talk about what you’re here for: the cost.
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How much does a peridot cost?
Not surprisingly, the cost of peridot depends on the size of the stone but also the specific shade of olive green that it’s known for. The typical peridot stone is that a 1 carat stone ranges from $50-80, but the rarer stones that are 1-2 carats go to $400-500 and only range higher the larger the stone gets.
The larger the stone typically means the more valuable and expensive it will be, this is because it maintains its vibrant color better than smaller stones do.
Since peridot isn’t found or formed in the typical places as most gems are, it’s safe to say they are pretty rare, made even rarer since so few gems are actually gem-quality.
This is largely due to the fact that peridot is found in the earth’s subsurface and for it to reach the surface through tectonic or volcanic activity the peridot stones are typically too weathered to be gem quality.
This explains why so many gem-quality peridots are actually from meteors. Pretty cool, right?
Peridot has been around for ages and has been found all over the world.
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The most expensive stones are found in the Canary Islands, China, Brazil, Norway, Hawaii, Australia, Pakistan, and South Africa. Brazil, Arizona, and New Mexico also have peridot but unfortunately, they are not as sought after due to the fact they are much smaller than in other locations.
Is there history behind peridot?
Peridot has been a sought-after stone dating all the way back to Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians discovered the striking green gem peridot as early as 1500 B.C., on the volcanic island of Zebargad in the Red Sea.
It was so treasured by the Egyptians that they called it “Gem of the Sun”, and believed that it warded off bad spirits.
Not wanting anyone to discover the treasures of the island, the Egyptians kept the location of the island a secret. This led to the island’s location being lost when the Egyptian Empire fell, only to be found again in 1906.
What is the history behind the peridot birthstone?
Peridot might be mostly known for the role it played in Ancient Egypt, but it also made its way to Europe during the middle ages.
With its intense green color, this stone also fooled many of Europe’s Royalty into believing they were emeralds as well.
In fact, the 200-carat gemstones that were the crowning piece of one of the shrines in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral were believed to be emeralds as well for a very long time, but it turns out they are also peridots.
In today’s world, the peridot has regained popularity when a new deposit of peridot was discovered in Pakistan in the 1990s. These are regarded as some of the finest peridots in the world and are also very large, some weighing in over 100 carats.
Where is peridot most commonly found?
Now 80-90% of the world’s peridot are mined in Arizona, which is keeping all the August babies happy as it is the birthstone for August.
Peridot is meant to bring peace, health, and rest to its wearer, as well as increasing creativity and your overall mood. Peridot isn’t a bad birthstone to have if you ask me.
Peridot is best paired with gold, as the gold brings out the intense green colors of the stone. In Ancient Egypt, peridot and gold jewelry were believed to ward off bad dreams. So now that you know all the history and origins of peridot will you be buying any peridot soon? Considering it is one of the more affordable stones currently on the market, getting a high-quality one for a good price is very achievable.
