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The gemstone peridot has been around for a
very
long time, and a gemstone which has regained its popularity again
today. It
can be found in Egyptian
jewelery from the early 2nd millennium B.C.. The gemstones used at that
time came from a deposit on a small volcanic island now known as St.
Johns Island in the Red Sea,
some 45 miles off the Egyptian coast at Aswan, which was not
relocated until about 1900 and the peridot supply has since been
exhausted. That being said, the peridot is also a thoroughly
modern gemstone.A few years ago peridot
deposits were located in the Kashmir region; and the stones from those
deposits, being extremely beautiful and transparent,
have succeeded in giving a good polish to the image of the peridot
gemstone, which had paled somewhat over the centuries. In
the mid 1990's the interest in Peridot increased dramatically.
This
was because in 1994 a spectacular deposit of the finest peridots was
found in
Pakistan at an altitude of over 13000 feet.
In
the tough conditions at this altitude, mining was only possible during
the summer months. These stones were finer
than anything that had ever been seen before. And the deposits were so
plentiful that the demand for peridots can, for the time being,
now be
satisfied. In order to emphasise the special quality of the
peridots from
Pakistan, these stones are offered as 'Kashmir peridots', following the
famous Kashmir sapphires.
The most beautiful stones come from the border area between Pakistan
and Afghanistan. However, the peridot as a gemstone also exists in
Myanmar, China, the USA, Africa and Australia. Stones from East Burma,
now known as Myanmar, have a vivid light green and fine inclusions with
a silky shine to them. Peridot from Arizona, where it is popularly used
in native American jewellery, often has somewhat yellowish or
gold-brown nuances.
Thanks to the rich finds in Pakistan and Afghanistan, there is enough
raw material on the market, so the 'right stone' can now be found to
cater for each individual taste and each pocket. Large, transparent
stones of an intense color are, however, rare and correspondingly
expensive. The peridot is a gemstone that you should definitely get to
know better. Its fine pistachio to olive green is the perfect
complement to a fresh, light summer wardrobe.
This gemstone has no fewer than three names: 'peridot', 'chrysolite', from the Greek 'gold stone', and 'olivine', for the peridot is the gemstone form of the mineral olivine. In the gemstone trade it is called 'peridot', derived from the Greek word 'peridona', which means something like 'to give richness'. The peridot is one of the few gemstones which come in one color only. The rich, green color with the slight tinge of gold is caused by very fine traces of iron. From a chemical point of view, peridot is an iron magnesium silicate. The intensity of the color depends on the amount of iron actually present. Peridot ranges in color from light yellow-green to the intense bright green of new grass to olive. Because of the way peridot splits and bends the rays of light passing through it, it has a velvety, "sleepy" appearance - a shining rich glow, and a slightly greassy luster. Peridot is not particularly hard - only 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale - but it is easy to look after and fairly robust. Peridot cat's eyes and star peridot are particularly rare and precious. The peridot adds a wonderful variant to the color
spectrum of green
gemstones. Increasingly, it is processed not only to one-offs, but also
for use in series jewelery. And since the world of fashion is just in
the process of rediscovering its love for the color green, the
popularity of this rich green gemstone is also very much on the
increase. The
purer green a
peridot is, the higher the value. Any tinge of brown greatly diminishes
the price as well as visible flaws.
Peridot is thought to
bring the wearer
good luck, peace, and success,. Its powers include health, protection,
and sleep. The advantages of peridot are to attract love and calm anger
while also soothing nerves and dispelling negative emotions.Known by
the ancient Egyptians as the
gem of the sun, peridot has enjoyed a mystical reputation with its
alleged powers including: warding off anxiety, enhancement of speech
articulation, and success in relationships and marriage.
Hawaiian natives
believe peridot
is the goddess Pele's tears, while biblical references to the stone
include the high priest's breastplate – studded with a stone for each
of the twelve tribes of Israel, one being peridot. Cleopatra
reportedly
had a fine collection of “emerald” jewelry, which was really peridot
but it was the Ottoman Sultans who gathered the largest collection
during their 600-year reign from 1300-1918, with an impressive array of
both loose gem stones as well as peridot earrings, peridot rings and
other peridot jewelry. Powdered peridot has been
used to
cure
asthma and a peridot placed under the tongue of someone in the grip of
a fever will lessen their thirst. Legend has it that drinking
from a
peridot goblet can increase the potency of medicines. Pirate’s
believed peridot had the power to drive away evil spirits (and the
night’s terrors), especially if set in gold. But as protection from
evil spirits it must be pierced, strung on donkey hair and worn on the
left arm.
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