Your Peridot Buying Guide
If you are considering to buy Peridot jewelry for yourself or for your loved one, have a quick read through this simple guide before you decide what to buy.
To make your shopping easy, we have listed a few important things to keep in mind when purchasing Peridot jewelry and gemstones. This short buying guide will help you get the most value for your money.
We will also give tips on where to buy Peridot jewelry to the best prices. You see, if you buy Peridot online, you could save quite a lot of money depending on where you live and what types of jewelry that you are after.
Top 10 Questions to Ask When You Buy Peridot
As with all gemstones, buying a fine Peridot jewelry requires some experience and expertise. Even so, there are some basic factors that will set the value of a Peridot gemstone. If you learn about these elements, you will assure yourself of a good purchase. We have listed the 10 most important questions to ask before purchasing your Peridot jewelry.
1. Color – What color is the peridot stone?
The color is an important element and will set the value of the Peridot stone. A Peridot stone can be yellow-green, brown-green, or rich grass-green. Peridot can be found in many different shades of green, but in no other colors.
The Peridot stone should not have any overtones, so select a gemstone with a color that is equally distributed and with no brown-green tones. The brown-green Peridot is of lower quality, and the rich grass green Peridot is of highest quality.
The value of the Peridot depends on the iron content of the gemstone. The most valuable Peridot is of dark olive-green color and has an iron content of less than 15 %. The less iron content, the darker and more intense green color of the Peridot stone.
The top quality Peridots have an intense grass green color, without any hint of brown or yellow. If you want to buy Peridot gemstone that has a darker green color, you will probably have to go for a larger stone weighing 10 carats or more. You see, Pure grass-green Peridots are quite rare and they are generally found in larger gemstones. This makes them more valuable (and expensive), compared to the yellow-green gems.
2. Carats – How many carats is the Peridot?
Carat (unit of mass) is a measure of weight used for gemstones. The unit of mass for gemstones equals to 0.2 grams. This tangible value factor is easy to understand; the more carats your Peridot has, the more valuable it will be.
1 Carat = 0.2 Grams
The Peridot price for a 1 carat stone can begin at only $25. However, if the Peridot stone is large with quality color, the price per carat can amount up to as much as $500 per carat! This has to do with the fact that larger Peridot stones are quite rare and the Peridot value per carat will therefore be greater. So, the bigger the stone, the more expensive the Peridot price per carat will be.
3. Country – Where does the Peridot come from?
The majority of the commercial standard Peridots (5 carats or less) come from Arizona, USA. In fact, the world’s most productive area for the yellow-green standard sized Peridots is at the Apache Indian Reservation San Carlos (Arizona, USA). A second Arizona location for Peridot is Blue Park in Apache County. China has recently also become a great producer of Peridot gemstones. Other countries that produce commercial Peridots include Brazil, Kenya, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Vietnam.
However, if you are on the market to buy Peridot gemstones of the finest quality, then you should instead have a look at the gemstones mined in Myanmar or Pakistan. Both Myanmar and Pakistan are known for exceptional beautiful and big Peridots. Some of the world’s finest faceted Peridot stones of 100-200 carats or more have been found in Pyaung Gaung, Myanmar. The mine in Kashmir (Pakistan) is relatively new and was discovered in 1994. It is situated 15,000 meters above sea, to the west of Himalaya, and produces some of the most beautiful Peridots ever found!
4. Lighting – How does light affect Peridot?
The green Peridot is not as light dependent as the blue or red gemstones. In fact, the Peridot color tends to stay the same under all lights – sunlight or artificial light – which is very unusual among gemstones.
The Romans used to call Peridot the “Evening Emerald“, as they discovered that the green color did not darken at night and was still visible when holding the Peridot under the pottery oil lamps.
So, if want to buy a Peridot but are unsure about its quality, have a look at its clarity instead.
5. Clarity – How is th clarity of the Peridot stone?
The best Peridot quality has an “eye clean clarity“. It is the standard form of Peridot. Any readable visible inclusions such as black spots will lower the value of the Peridot. Below is a picture where you can detect black mineral crystals in a Peridot stone.
The disk-shaped reflective inclusion called “lily pads”, is yet another very common inclusion in Peridot that will lower its value if it is readable visible.
Furthermore, the double refraction (0.036 – 0.038) of Peridot can give the gem a sleepy look, which is most marked out in the larger Peridots (over 10 carats).
6. Cuts & Shapes – What about the different shapes of the Peridot gemstone?
Since the Peridot gemstone isn’t very expensive, there’s no limit to the cuts and shapes on Peridot. A tip is to avoid the badly shaped native cut Peridots, and instead go for cuts with fine proportions since the gem is already relatively cheap.
7. Treatments – Has the Peridot stone been treated to enhance its color?
The Peridot color is natural, and the Peridot is usually not heat treated to enhance its color – like other gemstones. The Peridot color is also stable, which means that it doesn’t change in sunlight or artificial light – and the color stays the same over time. Sometimes though, the Peridot is treated with colorless oils, wax, or resins to even the surface, but even these kinds of treatments are quite uncommon for Peridots. Since Peridot is usually not treated, it is a factor that you normally wouldn’t have to be concerned about when buying a Peridot gemstone.
8. Imitation – Is the Peridot stone an imitation?
Peridot imitations are something you normally don’t have to watch out for, especially when buying from trusted jewelers. However, even if Peridot isn’t manufactured or man-made, there still exist imitations made of green glass. So how can you spot if your gemstone is an imitation or not? By checking out the color and reflection. If it’s an imitation, you will not see any yellow nuance in the stone. Also, a stone made of green glass will only have a single reflection.
9. Budget – Does this stone cost much?
When you buy Peridot you need to balance your budget with the quality of the gemstone. If you are on a tight budget, go for a beautiful yellow-green Peridot under 10 carats. Choose between the many creative cuts and shapes and go for cuts with fine proportions.
If money is no object, then check out the larger grass-green Peridots from Myanmar or Pakistan. Check out the iron content and pick a Peridot that has an iron content less than 15%. Also, if you wish to buy top quality Peridot, make sure that the stone has ”eye clean clarity”.
10. Care Tips – How do I care for my Peridot?
Before buying a Peridot, it’s important to know how to take care of the gemstone. Since Peridot is a soft gemstone, make sure you handle it with care. It’s quite easy and you only have to clean it once every 6 months.
Here’s how you do it: Mix lukewarm water with a little mild soap, and use a soft bristle brush to clean the stone. After cleaning, dry with a soft cloth and then store the Peridot in a cotton box. Don’t place any chemicals, cosmetics, or sharp objects near your gemstone. Also, make sure that your Peridot jewel isn’t exposed to any sudden large temperature changes. Excessive heat can fade the color of your Peridot stone. That wasn’t too difficult, right?
Now you are ready to buy Peridot! If you don’t have a Peridot shop nearby, try online shopping. For most people, it is the easiest and most convenient way to buy Peridot jewelry.
Where to buy Peridot Jewelry – Buy Peridot Online!
If you want to buy Peridot, browse through our collection and find commercial qualities as well as top quality Peridot jewelry. Search for Peridot rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. You will also find special sections for Men’s Peridot Jewelry, Peridot Engagement Rings, and Peridot Wedding Rings – click here to buy Peridot Jewelry.