What Is The Difference Between Peridot and Emerald

As we are near the end of August, we’re delving further into peridot to combat a frequently asked question. “What is the difference between a peridot and an emerald?” Understandably, this comes up a lot as they are, of course, both green.  Other than colour though, they are starkly different.

Emerald is a traditional gemstone and is up there with the other precious classics- diamond, ruby and sapphire. Emerald’s rich bottle green tones are quite substantially different to that of a peridot, which has more limey, bright undertones.

Unlike peridot, emeralds are very brittle gemstones, so setting them in an engagement ring comes with advisories and careful design consideration. Whilst the remarkable map of inclusions gives each emerald its own individuality, it is these that weaken the structure. Therefore, it’s cut to remove points (usually an emerald cut) so as to alleviate risk of breaking. Unfortunately, this still doesn’t guarantee damage. Unlike peridot, the smallest of knocks can cause it to fracture and ultimately break. On the other hand, peridot comes in all shapes and sizes. It can also be colour matched easily which is ideal if you have multiple peridots in your ring.

In terms of cost, peridot is the vivid green that is sure to meet your budget. Meanwhile emerald’s fragile nature can sometimes make the larger cuts more expensive than a diamond!

Ultimately, your style, budget and how often you intend to wear it will be the contributing factors between these notorious greens. Equally, we can introduce you to green alternatives such as tsavorite, tourmaline or green sapphire just like this ring. The pick is yours…