Peridot Drop Necklace and Earrings Set in 18ct Gold-Plated Sterling Silver

You could buy one and think about the other for three weeks.
Or not.

What this set is

The Peridot Drop Set from House Of The 18th pairs the Peridot Drop Necklace with the matching Peridot Drop Earrings: three 4x6mm faceted peridots, each in an irregular, hand-formed bezel on a textured tapering drop. The necklace hangs on a fine cable chain measuring 40cm with a 5cm extender, adjustable between 40cm and 45cm. The earrings are French hook style and measure approximately 3cm from the top of the hook to the base of the stone. Every component — pendant, chain, clasp, ear wires and bezels — is solid 925 sterling silver finished with 18ct gold plating. The set is nickel-free and suitable for sensitive skin.

What is peridot?

Peridot is the gem variety of olivine, a magnesium iron silicate that rates 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs hardness scale. Peridot occurs in one colour only — green — because the colour comes from iron built into the crystal structure itself rather than from trace impurities. Peridot forms in volcanic basalt from the earth's mantle and is also found in pallasite meteorites, making peridot one of only two gemstones known to arrive on earth from space.

Is peridot treated?

Peridot is sold essentially untreated. There is no standard heat, irradiation or dye process applied to peridot, so the green across all three stones in this set is the colour the stones came out of the ground with. Most coloured gemstones on the market cannot say that.

Why the three stones are not identical

Because peridot is unenhanced, colour varies naturally from stone to stone, and each bezel in this set is formed by hand rather than machine-cut. The necklace and the two earrings may sit a shade apart in depth of green, and the gold wraps each stone slightly differently. Matched-to-the-millimetre sets come from machines and from treated stone. This one does not.

How the set wears together

At 40cm the pendant sits just below the hollow of the throat; at 45cm it drops to the top of the sternum. Worn with the earrings, the shorter setting keeps the three stones in one visual line at throat and ear. The longer setting separates them, which works better under an open collar. The necklace also layers with a longer chain worn beneath it without the earrings competing.

How to care for 18ct gold-plated sterling silver and peridot

Gold-plated sterling silver lasts longest away from perfume, hairspray, chlorine and prolonged water contact. Put the set on last when dressing and take it off before showering, swimming and sleeping. Peridot is sensitive to acids and to sudden temperature change, so no piece in this set should go into an ultrasonic or steam cleaner. Wipe with a dry soft cloth only — polishing cloths and silver dips strip gold plating. Store flat and dry in a soft pouch so the chain does not knot against the ear wires.

How long the gold plating lasts

Gold plating is a finish, not a material. With daily wear it typically holds one to two years before thinning at high-contact points, and considerably longer on pieces that come off before water, perfume and sleep. Earrings hold plating longest because they take almost no friction. The 925 sterling silver underneath does not wear out, and the plating can be renewed by a jeweller.

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

What is included in the Peridot Drop Set?

The Peridot Drop Set from House Of The 18th includes one Peridot Drop Necklace on a 40+5cm adjustable chain and one pair of Peridot Drop Earrings on French hooks, all in 18ct gold-plated 925 sterling silver.

Is peridot a natural, untreated stone?

Peridot is the gem-quality form of olivine and is one of the few coloured gemstones that reaches the market without routine heat treatment, irradiation or dyeing. All three peridots in this set are natural and untreated.

What does 18ct gold-plated mean?

18ct gold-plated means a layer of 18 carat gold has been bonded over solid 925 sterling silver. The 18ct refers to the purity of the gold in the plating and has nothing to do with the carat weight of the stones.

Will the necklace and earrings match exactly?

Peridot is untreated and each bezel is formed by hand, so the three stones are cut to the same 4x6mm size but can differ slightly in depth of green and in the shape of the surrounding gold. Those differences are a property of natural stone and hand setting.

Can this set be worn every day?

Peridot rates 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, which suits daily wear on pieces that hang clear of hard contact, though the set should come off before sport, cleaning and sleep. Peridot must never be cleaned in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner.