Peridot

Peridot comes from the Arabic word faridat, which means gem. The French were the first to call this yellowish-green stone peridot. It has been called Topaz up to this time in the eighteenth century. As early as 1500 B.C. the Egyptians used peridot as a gem. It was considered the “gem of the sun”. To develop its full strength as a talisman it had to be set in gold. Legend tells us that miners searched for peridot crystals at night; they would mark the spot, then come back in the daylight and dig them up.
Wedding Anniversary: 3rd
Astrological Sign: Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)
R.I.: 1.654 – 1.690
S.G.: 3.31 – 3.48
Hardness: 6.5 – 7
Toughness: Poor
Care: Avoid sudden temperature changes
Enhancements: none known
Principle Sources: US, Australia, Brazil, Burma, China, Egypt, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, Sri Lanka