Education
Diamond Education
- Diamond 4 C's
- Diamond Buying Guide
- Answers to 1 Carat Diamond Questions
- Your Guide to Buying a Diamond Online
- How to Pick the Right Diamond
- Diamond Buying Mistakes
- Real vs. Fake Diamonds
- Lab Diamond Buying Guide
- 10 Most FAQ - Diamonds
- Off Size Diamonds Guide
- Popular Diamond Cuts
- Price of a 2 Carat Diamond
- Top FAQ - Lab Diamonds
- What Is the Average Diamond Size in Engagement Rings?
- Diamond Carat
- Diamond Clarity
- IF Diamonds
- FL Diamonds
- Diamond Inclusions Guide
- Flawless vs Internally Flawless
- Which Diamond Clarity Is Best?
- VS2 vs VS1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- VVS2 vs VVS1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI2 vs SI1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI1 vs VS2: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- VS1 vs VVS2: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- Accent Diamond Clarity
- Lab Diamond Clarity
- SI Diamonds
- VS Diamonds
- VVS Diamonds
- Diamond Color
- Diamond Cut
- Diamond Cut Types
- Ideal Cut Diamonds
- Hearts and Arrows Diamonds
- What is Diamond Depth
- Diamond Table
- Lab Diamond Cut
- Antique Cut Diamonds
- Brilliant Cut Diamonds
- Rose Cut Diamonds
- What Is The Most Expensive Diamond Cut?
- What Are Step Cut Diamonds?
- Diamond Bow Ties
- How Are Diamonds Cut
- Diamond Brilliance
- Spread Diamonds
- Diamond Fire
- Crushed Ice Diamonds
- Diamond Shape
- Lab Diamond Shape
- Asscher
- Cushion
- Emerald
- Marquise
- Oval
- Pear
- Princess
- Radiant
- Round
- Which Diamond Cut Is Best?
- Round vs Princess Diamond Cut
- Round vs Cushion Diamond Cut
- Cushion vs Princess Diamonds
- Cushion vs Oval Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Asscher Cut Diamond
- Princess vs Marquis Diamonds
- Princess vs Radiant Cut Diamonds
- Cushion vs Asscher Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Radiant Cut Diamonds
- Oval vs Marquise Cut Diamonds
- Oval vs Pear Cut Diamonds
- Pear vs Marquise Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Cushion Cut Diamonds
- Elongated Cushion Cut Diamonds
- Diamond Certification
- Diamond Fluorescence
- How Diamonds Are Formed
- Diamond Pricing
- Diamond Size Chart Carat & MM
- Diamond Symmetry
- Diamond Polish
- Diamond Girdle
- Diamond Culet
- Engraved Rings
- Fancy Colored Diamonds
- Loose Diamonds
- History Of Lab Grown Diamonds
- Natural vs Synthetic Diamonds
- Diamond Sourcing
- NY Diamond District
Engagement Ring Education
- How To Buy Engagement Rings
- Affordable Engagement Rings
- Cost of a One Carat Diamond
- How To Buy A Lab Diamond Ring
- How to Buy An Engagement Ring In a Time Crunch
- How to Choose An Engagement Ring
- How to Pick Your Engagement Ring Budget
- Engagement Rings For Second Marriage
- Best Time to Buy An Engagement Ring
- How to Buy An Engagement Ring As a Couple
- Everything You Need to Know About Dainty Engagement Rings
- Future Mother In Law's Guide to Engagement Ring Shopping
- Engagement Ring Financing
- Why You Need an Engagement Ring Appraisal
- Best Round Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Square Cut Engagement Ring
- Top Teardrop Engagement Rings
- Best Asscher Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Oval Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Radiant Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Marquise Cut Engagement Rings
- Twisting Rings
- Best Emerald Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Dainty Engagement Rings
- Best Unique Engagement Rings
- Best Traditional Diamond Engagement Rings
- Best Split Shank Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top 10 Square Halo Engagement Rings
- Top 10 Unusual Engagement Rings
- Black Diamond Engagement Rings
- Edwardian Engagement Rings
- Antique Style Engagement Rings
- Nature Inspired Engagement Ring
- Filigree Rings
- Art Deco Rings
- Wide Band Engagement Rings
- Infinity Engagement Rings
- Best Two Tone Diamond Engagement Rings
- Victorian Style Engagement Rings
- Minimalistic Engagement Rings
- Big Style Engagement Rings
- Cute Style Engagement Rings
- Modern Style Engagement Rings
- Past Present and Future Rings
- Thin Engagement Rings
- Pretty Style Engagement Rings
- Double Band Engagement Rings
- 1 Carat Diamond Ring
- Top Princess Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Women's Rose Gold Engagement Rings
- Top Round Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top East West Engagement Rings
- Top Pave Engagement Rings
- Top Split Shank Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Unique Halo Engagement Rings
- Rose Gold Pear Shaped Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Pear Shaped Engagement Rings
- Top Oval Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Engagement Rings
- Top Marquise Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Emerald Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Bypass Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Oval Engagement Rings
- Top Emerald Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Oval Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Emerald Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Oval Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Floating Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Princess Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Simple Engagement Rings
- Vintage Style Engagement Rings
- Types of Accent Diamonds
- Everything You Need to Know Before Setting Diamonds
- Engagement Ring Prong Guide
- All About Ring Resizing
- Identifying Your Ring After A Repair
- Everything You Need to Know About Milgrain
- Everything You Need to Know About Wide Band Engagement Rings
- Eternity Rings vs Infinity Rings
- When To Propose
- What Are Baguette Diamond Engagement Rings
- What to Say When You Propose
- What Are the Groom's Parents Responsible For?
Gemstone Education
Jewelry Education
- Jewelry Buying Guide
- How To Buy Jewelry Online
- Diamond: 10th Anniversary Gifts
- Ruby: 40th Anniversary Gemstone & Jewelry
- Sapphire: 5th Anniversary Gemstone & Jewelry
- Top 10 Sapphire Earrings
- Emerald: 20th Anniversary Gemstone & Jewelry
- Top 10 Push Presents
- How To Shop For Christmas Jewelry Gifts
- How To Buy An Anniversary Band
Metal Education
Peridot Grading
As many gem enthusiasts know, all gemstones are cut, treated, and graded using various methods. This is because no gemstone comes out of the earth (or from wherever it happens to form) ready to put on the market.
However, what many people don’t know is that not every gemstone is the same; nor is it treated or graded the same. In this piece, we wanted to talk a bit about peridot, a lesser-known gemstone, and about how it is graded (and why it is graded this way). Read on!
What is Peridot?
Have you ever seen a gemstone that is a more earthy green than emeralds? That is peridot! Peridot forms in nature with this rich, natural green hue (often referred to as "peridot green"). And it is certainly not to be confused with an emerald, or with any other greenish colored gemstone. It was, in ancient times, thought to be the true topaz, despite the fact that it is certainly not similar to topaz.
How is (Natural) Peridot Formed?
Peridot differs from other gemstones, such as the emerald, in a couple of ways. First of all, it is not formed in the earth’s crust, like other gemstones. It forms in the molten rock that makes up the upper mantle of the earth. In fact, peridot is one of only two gemstones that form in such a way. It is made up of silicate and magnesium-rich olivine materials and is often referred to as chrysolite. Second, it is a bit more susceptible to the elements (like weathering), which is why gemstone professionals believe that it cannot be found forming in the earth’s crust.
The First Natural Peridot
The first naturally mined peridot was located on Topazos Island (now St. John’s Island) near Egypt. It is currently considered to be one of the oldest known gemstones. For centuries, this same location was the sole source of this yellow-green gem. Perhaps because it formed so far in the earth’s mantle that few people came across it before finding other types of gemstones. Today, peridot can be found in China, Burma, and even in the U.S., in New Mexico and Arizona.
How is Peridot Graded?
Most gemstones are graded using the same stone qualities. However, in some cases, the qualities are listed in different orders of importance, depending on the type of gemstone. Some qualities may also not be considered important at all for certain gemstones, because other qualities are much more critical. Many gemstones are graded on a AAAA, AAA, AA, A, and B scale--with AAAA being a perfect grade and B being a satisfactory grade. It is important to keep in mind that AAAA natural gemstones are extremely rare, and those that fit that grade are in museums.
The qualities that have the most impact on peridot grading are:
- Color (the integrity of the color, as well as the demand for it)
- Cut
- Clarity
- Symmetry (the stone’s proportions and balance of facets)
- Finish/polish (smoothness, lack of chips and cracks)
- Window (a space that allows for through-and-through light passage, without any reflection back to the stone’s surface)
- Rarity

What Has the Most Impact on Peridot’s Grade?
For the peridot, in particular, cut and color are often the most important. Because it is a “softer” gemstone, meaning that it is susceptible to weathering and other types of damage IF it is not carefully extracted and crafted, color and cut are more important factors in the peridot’s grading than other qualities. The color, for example, will tell a great deal about peridot inclusions, which is a big part of any gemstone’s grading.
That does NOT mean it is a lesser quality gemstone; in fact, the opposite is often true. It simply means that it must be treated with greater care than diamonds or emeralds. However, though the cut is important to the peridot’s grading, not every cut is suitable for every kind of gemstone.
Can you cut peridot into any shape?
While it is theoretically possible to cut any stone into any of the popular cuts you see on the market, it isn’t always practical. For instance, softer gemstones (like peridot) must be treated with greater care, and therefore may not be viable for certain cuts that require more of the gemstone to be ground away. Also, there are gemstones that, because of their natural inclusions and facets, may look cloudy or unimpressive when cut in a certain fashion.
For those of you who are interested, the most popular cuts for the peridot gemstone include oval, princess, brilliant (the other square cut besides princess-cut), cushion, domed and round. So, you would be able to find beautiful cushion cut peridot jewelry, or a peridot engagement ring. Emerald cut peridot necklaces are also quite popular.
Should You Buy Natural or Lab-Grown Peridot?
You should know that lab grown, and lab treated gemstones are very much as real as those that are mined straight from the earth. Therefore, there is no real difference in the quality of one over the other. In fact, the only true, noticeable difference between the two is going to be their origin and the price on the market.