Peridot color chart: shades, names and which color is finest

By HeyGema™ · Updated

In short

Peridot is the gem form of olivine, colored by iron. The most valued color is a saturated green without a yellow or brown tint. A round 1 carat peridot measures about 6.6 mm.

Peridot colors

Peridot is the gem form of olivine, colored by iron. Stones are mostly yellowish green, and pure green is rare.

  • Pure greenRare, and the most valued: a saturated green with no yellow or brown tint.
  • Yellowish greenThe most common color.
  • Olive greenPeridot from Myanmar is a deep olive green.
  • Brownish greenA duller color.

The swatches are illustrations picked to match the color names. Screens and light change how color looks, and a cut stone changes with the light, so judge a stone in person or from a daylight photo.

Which peridot color is finest

The most valued color is a saturated green without a yellow or brown tint.

How gemologists describe color

Gemologists describe the color of a stone with hue, tone and saturation, and look at the three together. For colored stones they also look at how evenly the color is spread.

Hue
The color you would name, such as blue, green or red, or a blend such as bluish green.
Tone
How light or dark that color looks, from pale to very dark.
Saturation
How strong or pure the color looks, from dull (grayish or brownish) to vivid.
Evenness
How evenly the color is spread through the stone. Color zoning is uneven color, such as bands or patches you can see.

Colored stones have no single color scale like the D to Z scale for diamonds, so sellers use their own words. Ask for a daylight photo and for the size in mm as well as the carat weight.

What affects peridot color

Cause of color
Ferrous iron.

Peridot color and size

Peridot from Myanmar (Pyaung-Gaung) can be found above 10 carats. GIA says the finest large peridots come from Myanmar and, more recently, a high Himalayan source in Pakistan, while Arizona material is more standard in size and quality. Carat is weight, not size. A round 1 carat peridot measures about 6.6 mm, against 6.5 mm for a diamond of the same weight. This table gives the face-up size of a well-cut peridot.

1 ct
Round: 6.6 mm
Oval: 8.1 x 5.6 mm
Cushion: 5.7 x 5.7 mm
2 ct
Round: 8.3 mm
Oval: 10.3 x 7.1 mm
Cushion: 7.2 x 7.2 mm
3 ct
Round: 9.5 mm
Oval: 11.7 x 8.1 mm
Cushion: 8.2 x 8.2 mm
5 ct
Round: 11.2 mm
Oval: 13.9 x 9.6 mm
Cushion: 9.7 x 9.7 mm
10 ct
Round: 14.1 mm
Oval: 17.5 x 12.1 mm
Cushion: 12.3 x 12.3 mm

See the full peridot size chart for every shape, or use the carat to mm calculator for any weight.

Peridot properties

Hardness (Mohs)
Value: 6.5 to 7
Refractive index
Value: 1.654 to 1.690
Specific gravity
Value: 3.27 to 3.37

Green olivine. Similar to diamond in density.

How to compare peridot stones

  • Look at each stone in daylight and under indoor light. Color shifts with the light.
  • Ask for the size in mm as well as the carat weight. A peridot of the same weight can differ in size by shape and cut.
  • Ask whether the color is natural or treated, and ask for the answer in writing.
  • For a stone that matters, ask for an independent lab report.

Designing with a colored stone? HeyGema lets you choose the stone shade and renders your design with it.

Questions

Green. Most stones are yellowish green, and pure green is rare.
A saturated green without a yellow or brown tint.
A well-cut round peridot of 1 carat is about 6.6 mm across (0.26 in). The table above gives the size of other shapes and weights.
No. They are illustrations picked to match the color names. Screens differ, and a cut stone changes with the light, so judge a stone in person or from a daylight photo.

More size charts