In this article
Written by Sameer
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Traditional belief vs gemmology: anything on this page about luck, protection, planets, healing or religious tradition describes traditional and cultural beliefs — not proven effects, religious rulings or medical advice. A stone's identity, hardness, treatment and origin are gemmology, which a lab can test; the references at the end of the page cover that side.
If you were born in August, your birthstone is peridot, which most of us here call zabarjad. Of all the birthstones, this is the one with the closest tie to Pakistan. Some of the best peridot ever mined comes out of Kohistan, so when you buy it here you are buying very near the source. Our birthstone guide explains where the month-by-month list comes from.
How Kohistan changed the peridot trade
In 1994, peridot turned up in the Sapat valley of Kohistan, in the north of the country, at about 4,000 metres. The crystals were unusually large and clean, in a bright green that beat much of the material from older sources like Egypt, Myanmar and Arizona. In the trade you'll hear it called "Sapat" or "Kashmir" peridot, and it is counted among the finest in the world. Ask where a stone was mined; Kohistan material carries a reputation an anonymous import doesn't.
Always green, but which green?
Peridot is the gem form of the mineral olivine, and it never comes in any colour but green. What changes is the shade:
- Top: a clean, lively grass green with no hint of brown or yellow. This richer tone usually shows up in bigger stones.
- Common: a yellowish green, typical of smaller stones and priced to match.
- Less wanted: olive or brownish green.
Clarity counts as well. Kohistan peridot is often very clean, so inclusions you can see are a genuine drawback. Thanks to Kohistan, even good-sized clean stones stay within reach.
A test the stone carries with it
Peridot has strong double refraction. Look down through the table of a faceted stone with a loupe and the facet edges at the back look doubled. That is a real identifying feature, not a defect. Green glass, the usual imitation, shows single crisp edges and sometimes small round bubbles. Green synthetic spinel and other green stones are occasionally passed off as peridot too, and a certificate is available on request if you want one.
Natural as it comes
Along with garnet, peridot is one of the few gems sold essentially untreated. Nobody routinely heats, oils, fills or dyes it. The colour you see is the colour that came out of the mountain.
Wearing zabarjad
At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, peridot is softer than neelam or yaqoot. It is perfect for pendants and earrings, and fine in a ring if you are a little careful with it. Keep it away from harder stones in storage so it doesn't get scratched, avoid sudden heat and contact with acids, and clean it only with warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Never use an ultrasonic or steam cleaner.
Giving peridot as a gift
A Kohistan peridot is a stone from our own north for an August birthday. Its fresh green suits silver or gold, and drop earrings and pendants keep it out of the way of knocks.
Zabarjad and astrology
The August connection is a Western one. In Vedic practice, peridot is sometimes worn as a more affordable stand-in for emerald (zamurd), linked with Mercury (Budh), and chosen by birth chart and budget rather than by the month you were born. Our page on gemstones by rashi explains how the two systems differ.
Buying peridot from Authentic Gems
Every stone in our peridot collection is photographed exactly as it is, with its own weight and price. We ship from Karachi by insured, tracked courier: Karachi orders usually arrive in 1 to 2 working days, Lahore, Islamabad and other major cities in 2 to 4, and smaller towns a little later. You pay Cash on Delivery after checking the stone in front of the rider, and unused stones can come back within 7 days. Looking for a Kohistan stone in a particular size? Message us on WhatsApp.
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