Peridot 2016 03
Egyptian Peridot
Peridot can find its origins as a mined gemstone on Zabargad Island (St. John's) off the coast of Egypt in the Red Sea. Starting in the 3rd century BC peridot has been actively mined from local tribes to modern-day gem hunters looking for a piece of history. Today we see most of the peridot from Pakistan, Myanmar, China and the U.S., but these Zabargad peridots are elusive and very rare in larger sizes.
Peridot from St. John's Island, Red Sea, Egypt, 29.12 ct, 23.19 x 17.30 x 9.93 mm. Inventory #22923. (Photo: Mia Dixon)
This stone weighs in at 29.12 carats and displays that classic evergreen hue. From beginnings on a far away island and passing through who knows how many hands over the years it lands here at Pala International. The rough was acquired in 1991, by Warren Taylor, and records show it was cut in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. It's from the Heritage Nature & Science Auction; The Rainbow of Africa Gem & Mineral Collection.
For more on this subject, see:
- Egypt's Evening Emeralds: James Harrell and Elizabeth Bloxam investigate the Hellenistic-Roman peridot mine on Zabargad Island in the Red Sea
- Red Sea Peridot: A reprint by Peter Bancroft
- Peridot from St. John's / Zabargad Island by Olav Revheim
Interested?