Peridot: The August Birthstone
- Thomas Glover
- Aug 1
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 12
Peridot (with a silent “t”), the birthstone for August, is one of the less well-known gemstones, but it has a rich history of use in jewellery through the eras. At Thomas Glover, we are proud to offer a curated selection of antique and vintage peridot jewellery.
Peridot is celebrated for its fresh, grassy green hue and is known as a symbol of renewal and protection. Its name comes from the Arabic faridat, meaning 'gem' or 'precious stone.' Through the trade and translation networks of the Crusades and the early gemstone trade, this word filtered into medieval Old French as peritot, later becoming peridot in English.
With a hardness of 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale, peridot is softer than sapphires or rubies but remains durable enough for rings, pendants and earrings with mindful wear. It is the gem-quality variety of the mineral olivine, its vivid green caused by the presence of iron. Unlike many coloured gemstones, peridot occurs in only one colour, which ranges from yellow-greens to rich olive tones.
The finest historic peridots came from the ancient deposits on Zabargad (St. John’s Island) in the Red Sea, a tiny, remote island that has been mined for more than 3000 years. Egyptian priests called peridot the “gem of the sun,” and legend says mining was done only at night, when the glowing green crystals were easier to see by torchlight.
New finds of the gem in Burma (Myanmar) in the late 19th century brought a surge of beautiful stones to European jewellers. This sudden abundance arrived at just the right moment, coinciding with a shift in style and taste. Jewellery was moving away from the dark, weighty aesthetic of late Victorian mourning pieces and embracing the lighter and more romantic designs of the Art Nouveau and Belle Époque.
Peridot thrived in Art Nouveau jewellery of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when companies like Liberty and designers like René Lalique moved away from the symmetry of earlier styles and embraced naturalistic, organic forms.
Peridot’s vibrant green made it the perfect stone for this new aesthetic: it echoed the freshness of leaves, vines and petals, pairing with curves, enamel, and delicate seed pearls of Art Nouveau designs. Our Art Nouveau Peridot & Pearl Pendant c.1905 and Art Nouveau Peridot Brooch c.1905 embody this look, with stones worked into botanical motifs and accented by pearls.
At the same time, the Belle Époque saw the rise of lighter, more feminine jewellery. The introduction of platinum, a stronger yet workable material, allowed jewellers to create delicate garland motifs and lace-like settings that would have been impossible in gold alone.
When King Edward VII took the throne in 1901, his taste set the tone for jewellery across Britain and beyond. Edward was said to favour the colour green and allegedly named peridot as his favourite gem, which only boosted its popularity.
The Edwardian style that followed was defined by airiness and delicacy. Diamonds, pearls and pastel gems were set in garlands, millegrain borders and bow motifs. Peridot’s fresh green became the perfect accent for this look, paired with seed pearls to suggest dewdrops or combined with pink topaz and diamonds in wreath and ribbon designs.
At Thomas Glover, we see this in pieces like our Edwardian Peridot Drop Earrings c.1910 & Edwardian Pink Topaz, Peridot & Diamond Necklace c.1910, where peridot is set against pearls and pink topaz or tourmaline, perfectly expressing the spirit of the era.
Peridot declined in popularity during the Art Deco period but came back into fashion during the Retro era. With yellow gold back in fashion, peridot’s warm green paired beautifully with these metals. Big, sculptural cocktail rings, floral spray brooches, and ribbon-style pieces showcased large cushion-cut and oval peridots surrounded by small diamonds or rubies for a high-contrast pop.
The gemstone remains popular today in designs by luxury houses such as Cartier, Bulgari, and Marina B. Bulgari has been particularly instrumental in peridot’s continued popularity, with its bold Serpenti designs often set with peridot against other colourful gemstones.
At Thomas Glover, we have a range of peridot jewellery dating from the Victorian period onwards. From elegant Edwardian garland necklaces to swirling Art Nouveau brooches, each piece provides a glimpse into the fascinating history of this precious gemstone.
