Derived from the Arabic word “faridat” meaning “gem,” peridot has a long history with Royals, cathedrals, and the rest of the world, as it has become the well-known birthstone representing the month of August.
Mined on a small remote island off the coast of Egypt, peridot was in abundance in Ancient Egypt. During this time, the gemstone was not recognized as the stone we know today but was mistakenly identified as emerald. This case of mistaken identity has led many historians to believe that Cleopatra’s emerald collection was indeed the “gem of the sun,” peridot.
The error continued throughout history, as is evident during the medieval era when over 200 ct. of “Emeralds” were placed in the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. It was later discovered that these “emeralds” are truly peridots that adorn the shrine of the Three Holy Kings.
Today, the peridot represents the month of August amongst the bevy of other precious gems who have been assigned as birthstones to represent their particular months. Though it is found in wide variety of greens, from brown-green to olive and yellow, the highly revered yellow-green peridot is most commonly seen and cherished.
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