Peridot vs. Emerald

Looking to gift your loved one with a good-looking green stone, but your budget cannot fit an emerald? Why not buy a peridot and diamond ring instead? Both are green, although noticeably different in shade. Still, they resemble each other enough to have made the ancient Greeks call peridot ‘Evening Emerald’. In fact, the emerald stones Cleopatra possessed were probably actually peridots.

Formation and Occurrence

Peridot is one of the types of olivine, which is actually a silicate found in Pallasite meteorites. Emerald, on the other hand is one among the many varieties of beryl.

Color and Origin

Emerald generally exudes a deep green color that most people recognize from TV and magazines, while peridots have a characteristic olive green hue, which carries lighter tones. Emeralds of the best quality come from Zambia and Columbia, while high-grade peridot is mined in USA, Egypt, and Myanmar.

Hardness

Gemstone durability is decided based on how much a substance rates on the Mohs’ scale. Peridot is more fragile than emerald with a 6.5 to 7 rating, where the latter lands between 7.5 and 8. Both can be studded onto rings, but unlike jewelry diamonds, require proper care if you want them to last long and look good.