Gems: Peridots for St. Paddy's

A disrupted St. Patrick's Day, for sure, with cancellations and closures— as we do all we can to halt the spread of the virus. I'm thinking of  you and hope you stay well, cope with the restrictions and draw on reserves of compassion and goodwill.

Friends and readers ask what gemstone is a good buy. That depends on many factors, but one I often mention is peridot. Peridot wears well, especially in earrings or a necklace, and the price means you can buy top-quality, unlike trying to stretch your budget for, say, a sapphire.

There is a shade—from olive to leaf—that will suit warm or cool skin tones; I've dressed today's windows  for St. Patrick's Day, so, a bit of the wearin' o' the green.

What's your name, colleen?

You will hear both pronunciations: pear-ih-doe and pear-ih-dot; the latter is the Merriam-Webster one, but no one is going to be bothered if you go with "doe". Peridot is the gem variety of olivine (which is actually two minerals), and is not typically heat-treated. (Gems whose colours cannot be modified by heat treatment are called idiochromatic.)

Choose depth of colour and life in the stone; think of the fresh green of budding leaves or young green olives. Pale-green peridot is pretty too, especially on blondes, but if too light, lacks presence.

These rough-cut 7-8mm peridot studs by Margoni are super-wearable; the stones are bezelled in 18k gold, the rest of the setting is silver. Price, £270 from Tomfoolery, London; made to order.

Some peridots contain inclusions, and I like that, provided the colour and clarity of the host peridot is very good. Perfectly illustrated by this olive-hued 9mm drop pendant on espresso nylon cord, by Margaret Solow; price, $US 165 at Twistonline.

I would really like a strand of peridot beads; they are perfect if you like to wear deeper colours in spring and summer, but they also enliven a white shirt.

For gem beads, I scout Etsy, noting reviews and assessing other work by the same seller. Leipzig maker schmuckwerkshop appeals. Look at the clasps; these are good ones. I

Two necklaces interest me: one has the detail of gold-plated rondelles, the other shows how high-grade peridot sparkles given a faceted cut.

Top left and right:  43cm/17-inch necklace of 2mm disc peridot beads and gold-plated rondelles, $CDN 175.
Bottom left and right: 17-inch necklace of faceted 3mm peridots, especially lively; price, $CDN 273.

That's seriously gemmy beauty for a reasonable price. These are smal beads that would layer beautifully but have enough interest to stand on their own.

Antique and vintage peridot

Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco pieces often use peridot, sometimes mixed with amethyst, citrine, or garnet. When buying an antique piece, ask the jeweller about the polish. (A periodot can be repolished unless there are evident inclusions or fissures that could weaken the stone.)

This dragonfly bar pin of peridot, seed pearls and 9ct yellow gold, ca. 1925, is a treasure. I love its grace. At $US 1, 950 (on FirstDibs) it is not a trifling purchase, but one might view it as an heirloom. (Many FirstDibs sellers are open to offers,)

Old meets new

I like to end gemstone posts with a special piece; today's is not at the 'high jewellery' price point, but a standout.

Contemporary mismatched earrings of two tones of peridot, olive and bright green, in an 18k recycled gold setting inspired by Victorian watch fob chains. They are a wearable 1 1/2 inches long, by Lori Kaplan Jewelry; price, $US 1, 600.

Peridot (along with spinel) is the birthstone for August, but anyone can claim a patch of green and wear this marvellous stone!