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Gemstones :: Peridot |
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PERIDOT : Also called OLIVINE, this stone has been
known for a very long time. The ancients spoke of a gem called 'Topazos', as it
was then called, because it came from an island in Red Sea named Topazos.
The gemstone is actually known under three names: Peridot,
Chrysolith (derived from the Greek word “goldstone”) and Olivin, because Peridot
is the gemstone variety of the Olivin mineral. In the gemstone trade it is
generally called Peridot, a name derived from the Greek “Peridona”, meaning
something like “giving plenty”. Peridot is one of the few gemstones which exist
only in one colour. Much
appreciated in the past, this gem is a victim of changing fashions. It is also
used in large quantity in making Jewellery
The vivid, slightly
golden shimmering green of Peridot is the ideal gemstone colour to complement a
light summertime outfit. Peridot is an ancient and yet currently very popular
gemstone.
It is so old that it can be found even in Egyptian jewellery from the early
second millennium BC. The stones used in those days came from an occurrence on a
little volcanic island in the Red Sea, about 70 km off the Egyptian coast, off
Assuan, which was rediscovered only around 1900 and has been completely
exploited since. Peridot, however, is also a very modern stone, for only a few
years ago Peridot occurrences were discovered in the Cashmere region, and the
stones from there show a unique beauty of colour and transparency, so that the
image of the stone, which was somewhat dulled over the ages, has received an
efficient polishing.
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| Appearance
: Typically olive green, olivine can be a strong, almost bottle
green, or yellowish green. Gems of several carats are often seen, but very large
stones are hardly ever found. The particular colour and lustre of the gem are
highly characteristic. Much appreciated in the past, this gem is a victim of
changing fashions. |
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| Occurrence
: The occurrence of this gemstone is found in Burma, China, Pakistan,
U.S.A and Red Sea. |
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| Substitute
:
Coloured Glass, Synthetic Corundum, Synthetic Spinel. |
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| Chemical
Composition :
MAGNESIUM IRON SILICATE. |
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