Welcome, August, and your birth stone, the brilliant Peridot.
Let's begin with the basics: how does one pronounce "Peridot"? In the dictionary, the first (that is, the preferred) pronunciation is "Peri-dot" with a "hard T." The second option is "peri-dough"—which I suspect is the more popular pronunciation amongst fancy jewelers (and others who are trying to sell the gemstone).
Peridot is a clear, gemstone-quality variety of Olivine—which is one of the very few gemstones which is formed in the Earth's hot, crushing mantle (most gemstones form at a much shallower depth, in the Earth's Crust). The peridot radiates a brilliant green color—thanks to the presence of iron—and it presents within a fairly tight color range (on either side of lime green). It is one of the very few gemstones which are found in one color only. Because the stones are formed so deeply within the Earth, by the time they are pushed-up to the surface (assisted by volcanic activity), most stones are damaged, if not ground to sand. Thus, workable, gemstone-quality peridots are considered precious.
Peridots are found in Hawaii, remnants of the islands' volcanic origins. They were thought to be the tears of Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes. They have also been found in China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Africa, the American Southwest—and within some meteorites.
In earlier times, peridots were believed to drive away fears and nightmares. Today's New Age practitioners credit peridots with imbuing "inner radiance" to the wearer and "opening their minds to new levels of awareness in their quest to fulfill their destinies."
Alas, at the moment, we have no peridots at LEO Design. We do, however, have this stunning pair of English Art Deco sterling silver cufflinks. Bold stripes of white and lime-green enameling suggest the color of peridot. The strong graphic is reminiscent of rugby striping—so long associated with British sports teams. And no peridots were injured in the making of these handsome links, made in the Thirties. Click on the photo above to learn more about them.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
We also can be found in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, at The Antique Center of Strabane (www.antiquecenterofstrabane.com).
Or call to arrange to visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only). 917-446-4248