F A C E T - N A T I O N

BIRTHSTONE: Peridot, pronounced pair-uh-doe (French) - - from the Arabic word faridat meaning "gem--is the August birthstone which it shares with sardonyx. So those Virgo and Libra customers should take special note of Peridot's many possibilities. For example, suppose you are describing color alternatives to a customer. You might point out that emeralds are not the only green stones. The Egyptians used Peridot as a gem as early as 1500 B.C. It was considered the "gem of the sun" and was highly prized. Peridot is often called the "evening emerald." You might mention as well that this yellow-green gemstone is in the olivine family, so named for its olive color.

SOURCES: The most important deposits are in the Red Sea on the volcanic island of St. John where they have been mined for 3500 years. But these mines have been nationalized since 1958 and it appears that little or no mining is currently taking place. Most stones used today come from Burma ( which is the source of the largest recorded cut Peridot --319 carats-- now in the Smithsonian), and the U.S. (Hawaii, Arizona, and PSU!)

With the cessation of Peridot from the Red Sea deposit, those at San Carlos in Arizona have gained in importance. The San Carlos Apache Reservation is in Gila County, Arizona, and the main deposit of Peridot is known as Peridot Mesa. Exclusive rights to mining are held by various Apache families and it is not always easy to assign a specific stone to a particular deposit. It is interesting to note that the San Carlos Peridot, like some others, contains a trace of nickel which may play a part in its coloration.