Birthstones August: Peridot

The name peridot could be derived from the Greek “peridona” (“giving plenty”), as the stone is supposed to bring good luck. The lime green gem was well loved by the ancient Egyptians, who called it “the stone of the sun”, for its brilliance. (It’s possible that Cleopatra’s famous emerald collection were in fact peridots.) In line with the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans attributed the stones to their supreme god Zeus (or Jupiter), as they associated them with strength, dignity and wealth. Millennia later, that connection has well and truly worn out, because as the August birthstone, a peridot now symbolises love, truth, faithfulness and loyalty. Not quite the qualities that Zeus was known for. The gems even feature in engagement- and wedding bands. And they are said to ease jealousy, in spite of the expression “green with envy”. They’re remarkable gems, not in the least because they can be found in meteorites. A peridot is not just “the common man’s emerald”, it’s extra-ordinary on its own, as well as extra-terrestrial.

Maenad, Peridot Intaglio, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University, UK

ET Peridot, sold by Christie's

Did you know?

• Meteorites with inclusions of peridot crystals are called “pallasites”, named after the German naturalist Peter Pallas.

• About Cleopatra: “Mother of Pearl”.

• About Zeus: cfr. “The Devil in Disguise”.