Peridot is special in that it’s color hues cannot be replicated naturally by any other gemstone. It’s bright green shimmer doesn’t change in any light, whether natural or artificial. This both serves to make the gemstone easy to work with as well as spot any fakes.
In today’s blog post we’ll look at how to spot a fake Peridot, which you’ll find to be quite easy since the only real way to fake Peridot is with glass or Cubic Zirconia.
Testing Different Lights
You likely won’t need to read past this paragraph because of Peridot’s unique feature. As mentioned, it doesn’t change color in any light, natural or artificial. If you’re wondering whether a cut of Peridot is fake, then put it under different lights and see if it changes color. If it turns yellow, brown or even a different shade of green then it’s likely glass.
Perfection Isn’t So
There isn’t a perfect peridot anywhere on earth. Due to the gemstone’s molecular structure, every single peridot is going to have inclusions or cracks. If it looks absolutely perfect then you’re dealing with a glass peridot imitation. If it has brown or yellow inclusions and small chips then it’s likely real.
A Film of Mist
It the gemstone looks like it has a film of mist around it then it’s 100% fake unless you just mined it from a misty forest yourself. Glass Peridot gets a “misty” look that isn’t present in the real deal.
While there are several other tests, they all involve lab equipment and the above tests are much easier to perform. If you’re looking at Peridot, ask about how hard the gemstone is on the Mohs Scale. Peridot should be between 6.5 and 8, while Cubic Zirconia would be 8.5+. You’ll also be paying several hundred per carat with real Peridot. Cubic Zirconia will be much cheaper.