It has been a favorite of royalty and religious leaders also. As it became more abundant, the price was lowered and it became popular with jewelry artists. Amethyst's popularity in combination with the fact that fine amethyst has become increasingly rare, has created the market for gem enhancement and synthesizing. It may be faceted, fashioned with a cabochon cut, or carved. Cleavage is indistinct and the fracture, conchoidal.
Crystal form is rare, although it is in the orthorhombic crystal system.
Pleochroism is weak and peridot has no fluorescence. Peridot was mined for over 3,500 years on the volcanic island of Zebirget, or St. Johns Island, in the Red Sea, and the deposits rediscovered in 1900. In addition to being recovered from igneous basalt, gabbro, and peridotite, peridot also occurs in certain types of meteorites. Image taken from The Image . Peridot was one of the twelve stones in the the high priest's breastplate in the Biblical book of Exodus.