Called by Egyptians the "gem of the sun", peridot has always been associated with light. The name peridot comes from the Arabic word "faridat", meaning "gem". Yellowish green is by far the most common color for peridot however they can also be found in a brown green or pure green color.

Peridots are mainly formed deep in the earth and once formed are pushed to the surface through volcanos. Sources for peridot include mines in the USA, Tanzania, Egypt, Pakistan, Myanmar, Vietnam, and China.