When shopping for peridot, keep in mind that it is relatively soft (6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale) and should be spared rugged, regular wear if mounted in a ring. This is why the gem is more often used as a sidestone for more expensive gems than as the center stone. It is also highly sensitive to rapid temperature changes and can lose its polish if brought into contact with hydrochloric or sulfuric acid.

Peridot is occasionally treated with colorless oil or wax to improve its appearance. Surface fractures are sometimes filled with a colorless resin that hardens. If done properly, these treatments should remain stable.

Fine large specimens of the stone are on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.;

 the Diamond Treasury in Moscow; and the Geological Museum in London.