Antique Peridot Necklace
An antique peridot necklace brings the pale olive light of the early twentieth century into your collection.
Antique Peridot Necklace
When you search for an antique peridot necklace, you encounter delicate gold pendants and lavaliers centred on pale green gemstones. The pieces on this page mostly hail from the Edwardian and Victorian eras, alongside 1900 and Arts and Crafts examples.
You will frequently meet drops and lavaliers combining peridots with seed pearls and yellow gold. These range from simple floral scrolls to elaborate plique-a-jour and garland designs suspended on fine chains.
How they were made
Goldsmiths constructed these mounts predominantly in 9ct and 15ct yellow gold, occasionally incorporating platinum or silver settings. Stones were hand-set in closed or open-backed settings alongside meticulously arranged seed pearls.
Artisans employed specialist techniques such as plique-a-jour enamelling to create translucent, stained-glass effects behind the peridots. Delicate wirework formed the intricate floral drops, garland swags and lavalier mounts characteristic of the period.
Antique Peridot Necklace Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for peridot necklace among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Listings feature 9ct and 15ct gold alongside platinum, peridot, seed pearls and diamonds across Edwardian and Victorian forms.
What varies in quality
The distinction between ordinary and exceptional pieces lies in the crispness of the goldwork and the saturation of the stones. Finer examples display balanced proportions, matched seed pearls and well-cut peridots with a vivid olive hue.
Design complexity separates standard commercial output from the work of notable makers. Pieces featuring integrated plique-a-jour enamel or platinum detailing represent superior craftsmanship compared to simpler mass-produced floral scrolls.
Murrle Bennett·BIRKS
The Antique Peridot Necklace Glossary
- Lavalier
- A pendant featuring a suspended drop stone that hangs below the main decorative mount. This style gained immense popularity during the Edwardian era.
- Seed pearl
- A very small, naturally formed or early cultured pearl, frequently drilled and strung or glued onto pins. These tiny pearls form delicate floral clusters around the central peridot.
- Plique-a-jour
- An enamelling technique where enamel is applied to open cells without a backing, allowing light to shine through transparent colour. It resembles miniature stained glass.
- Suffragette
- jewellery incorporating the colours green, white and violet, symbolising the women's suffrage movement. In these pieces, peridots provide the green.
- Garland style
- A decorative motif modelled on eighteenth-century festoons of flowers, ribbons and foliage, rendered here in Edwardian gold and platinum.
Antique Peridot Necklace: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I wear a lavalier pendant?
These drop pendants sit best on fine gold chains that match the original metal colour of the mount. They pair well with lower necklines where the swinging drop rests against the skin.
Because the settings are delicate, remove the necklace before sleeping or strenuous activity to protect the tiny seed pearls and claws.
Are peridots fragile stones?
Peridot has a moderate hardness, meaning it can scratch if stored carelessly alongside harder gemstones like diamonds. Store each necklace in a separate soft pouch.
Clean the metal and stones gently with warm soapy water and a soft brush, avoiding harsh ultrasonic cleaners that might dislodge seed pearls.
How do I tell Edwardian pieces apart?
Edwardian designs lean towards light garland motifs, platinum highlights and airy platinum-on-gold settings. They often feature delicate millgraining along the metal edges.
Victorian pieces tend to use heavier 9ct or 15ct yellow gold settings with more solid floral scrolls and closed-back stone mounts.
What is a suffragette necklace?
These pieces combine green peridots, white pearls and violet stones such as amethyst or tourmaline to represent the campaign colours. They reflect the political sympathies of the wearer during the early twentieth century.
Such combinations are prized by collectors for their historical narrative alongside their fine gemstone work.