Identification guide · Semi-Precious Stones
How to Identify Peridot
Peridot is usually yellow-green, olive green, and lime green with a vitreous luster and is transparent. It has a Mohs hardness of 6.5. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. Its streak is white. It is most often confused with Olivine, Forsterite, and Spinel; the tests below separate them.
Peridot identification checklist
| Color | Yellow-Green, Olive Green, Lime Green | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Vitreous | Fresh surfaces shine like glass; a dull surface usually means weathering, so chip or wet a corner. |
| Transparency | Transparent | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 6.5 | It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. |
| Streak | White | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | Poor | |
| Fracture | Conchoidal | Broken surfaces show smooth, curved, shell-like scoops. |
| Specific gravity | 3.3 | Heavier than it looks (specific gravity about 3.3). |
| Crystal system | Orthorhombic |
Extra tests for Peridot
Glass check. Peridot shares a glassy luster and conchoidal fracture with man-made glass. Glass sits near Mohs 5.5 and often contains round gas bubbles, so a hardness test and a hand lens separate them.
Peridot look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 6.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Peridot vs Olivine →
Both sit near Mohs 6.5, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Peridot vs Forsterite →
Spinel is harder (Mohs 8) than Peridot (Mohs 6.5), so Spinel will scratch Peridot and not the other way round. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. Peridot vs Spinel →
Zircon is harder (Mohs 7.5) than Peridot (Mohs 6.5), so Zircon will scratch Peridot and not the other way round. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
Is my Peridot real?
- Hardness: real Peridot sits at Mohs 6.5. Glass imitations are about 5.5, so genuine Peridot scratches glass while a glass fake cannot.
- Bubbles: round gas bubbles under a 10x loupe mean glass or resin, never a natural stone.
- Color: dyed material concentrates color in cracks and pores; look for pigment collecting at the edges of fractures.
- Temperature: natural crystals feel cool and take longer to warm in your hand than plastic or resin.
Field tips
- Check whether the specimen's color and texture match typical Peridot examples.
- Use hardness, streak, luster, grain size, and locality together; no single trait is enough for every specimen.
Peridot identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Peridot?
Check the color (yellow-green, olive green, and lime green), the vitreous luster, a Mohs hardness of 6.5 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Peridot?
Peridot has a Mohs hardness of 6.5. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
What is the difference between Peridot and Olivine?
Peridot (Mohs 6.5, vitreous luster) and Olivine (Mohs 6.5–7, vitreous luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Peridot vs Olivine comparison for a side-by-side table.
How do I know if my Peridot is real?
Real Peridot matches the hardness listed above, shows no round gas bubbles under magnification, and does not concentrate dye in cracks. Glass and resin fakes fail at least one of those checks.
Is Peridot worth anything?
Entry-level Peridot specimens sell for around $50, typical collector pieces about $200, and premium examples $2000 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Peridot?
Peridot is most often yellow-green, olive green, and lime green. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
