Peridot Gemstone Beads

Frequently asked questions

• Is peridot treated?

  The vast majority of peridot is untreated. The green color is intrinsic to the olivine chemistry, not the result of heat, dye, or irradiation. Peridot is one of the few colored stones the bead trade sells in genuinely untreated form across virtually every price tier. Lower-grade material with surface-reaching fractures may occasionally be oil-filled or resin-filled; if a strand has been filled — ask before buying if a listing doesn't specify treatment.
• What's the difference between Arizona and Pakistani peridot?

  Arizona peridot (San Carlos Apache reservation) is the dominant U.S. domestic source — distinct bright yellow-green to true green, small to mid-size rough, widely available. Pakistani peridot (Himalayan, Kohistan) is the saturated pure-green tier, with larger rough than most current sources. Burmese material was historically the leading source but has largely been supplanted by Pakistani.
• Why is some peridot lime green and some olive green?

  Iron content in the olivine chemistry. Higher iron pushes color toward olive and yellow-green; lower iron with magnesium balance produces the saturated lime-green tier. Origin correlates loosely (Pakistani trends pure green, Chinese trends olive) but individual rough varies.
• Is peridot the same as olivine?

  Peridot is the gem-quality variety of olivine. Olivine is the broader mineral; peridot is the name used when the material is of jewelry-grade transparency, clarity, and color. All peridot is olivine; not all olivine is peridot.
• I heard peridot comes from meteorites — is that real?

  Yes, with caveats. Pallasite meteorites — a rare stony-iron class — contain olivine crystals embedded in iron-nickel matrix, and crystals from these can be cut as peridot. It is the only gemstone with credible extraterrestrial provenance. Pallasite peridot is rare and not typically what's sold in bead form; standard peridot is mined terrestrially in Pakistan, Arizona, China, and historically Burma and Egypt. The "meteorite" provenance, when claimed, should be specifically labeled as pallasite.