The Arabic word "faridat," meaning gem, is where the name for the gem peridot comes from. Peridot's stunning beauty and bright color caused the ancient Egyptians to call it "the gem of the sun." It is also believed that Peridot is the extraterrestrial gem: tiny peridot crystals have been discovered in meteors that fall to earth. On our planet, this lime-green gem forms in volcanoes, under tremendous heat and pressure. Peridot, is the birthstone for August, the zodiac stone for Leo, and the 16th anniversary gem.