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Peridot (pronounced "pear-uh-dot" or "pear-uh-doe", IPA: /pɛɹɪdɑːt/ or Fr. /peʁido/) is the gem quality variety of forsteritic olivine. The name of the gemstone is believed to come from either the Arabic word faridat meaning "gem" or the French word peritot meaning "unclear." Peridot is one of the few gemstones that comes in only one color. The depth of green depends on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure, and varies from yellow-green to olive to brownish green. Peridot is also often referred to as "poor man's emerald".
It is the birthstone for the month of August. According to folklore, the peridot will bring its wearer success, peace, and good luck. Peridot has been found in Egyptian jewelery from the early second millennium BCE and was mined from the volcanic island of Zebirget, or St. Johns Island, in the Red Sea. Native Hawaiians referred to peridot crystals as the tears of Pele, their goddess of fire.
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