The coloured gemstone Peridot: Immerse yourself in the history of the “sun diamond”
The olive green colored gemstone was already known in Egypt in the time of the pharaohs and was called the “sun diamond.” The site on the volcanic island of Zeberged (St. John’s Island) in the Red Sea produced green gemstones during the 18th Dynasty (1550-1291 BC), which were originally considered to be topaz by Greek and Roman scholars, which also explains the origin of the name Topazion or Topazos for the small island. Arab authors reported that the deposits were exhausted by the mid-13th century, but were “rediscovered” around 1900 and mined until 1914.
The origin of the name Peridot is not clear. Various theories trace it back to Arabic or Greek roots. In French, the term peridot was already in use in the Middle Ages. Until the first half of the 20th century, however, the name chrysolite was mostly used, derived from the Greek chrysos for gold and lithos for stone, which means “goldstone”. This led to confusion about the exact identity of the colored gemstone – was it topaz, chrysoberyl or yellow sapphire?
In 1790, the mineralogist Abraham Gottlob Werner introduced the name olivine, which refers to the olive-green color of the mineral, which is caused by iron. This name is now used internationally in mineralogy, sometimes also in the gemstone and jewelry industry as “noble olivine”. Due to the uncertain identification of chrysolite, the origin of the mineral was unknown for a long time. Old gemological books often mentioned not only Upper Egypt but also “Pegu” in the land of the Burmese, Ceylon and Brazil, as well as interesting finds in basalts in the Eifel and Bohemia for collectors.
The deposit on the island of Zeberged was already known over 3500 years ago and produced the largest cut peridot, which weighs 311.78 carats and is located in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, USA. Some of the largest and most beautiful cut peridots come from Myanmar. They have bright green colors and one of the largest stones cut to date from this region weighs 287 carats. In the early 1990s, a peridot deposit was discovered in Pakistan that produced exceptional stones, including a 309.90 carat faceted specimen that is highly prized in the trade as the “Kashmir Peridot.” Other significant deposits are located in the USA, particularly in the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona, and in China. In Germany, there are interesting finds at the Dreiser Weiher near Gerolstein in the Eifel, where peridot occurs in volcanic ejecta, the so-called olivine bombs.
Peridot has often been confused with or considered an emerald because of its green color. This is evidenced by ancient Egyptian jewelry (such as the “Emerald Jewelry of Cleopatra”) and the Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral from the 12th century. Peridot was found in the treasure troves of the Ottoman Empire and was highly sought after in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, particularly as the favorite stone of King Edward VII. Also famous is the peridot jewelry set of Grand Duchess Isabella of Austria from 1825, which is now privately owned and was worn by Joan Rivers at the 2004 Golden Globe Awards.
A peridot and diamond jewelry set designed by Salvador Dalí was auctioned at Christie’s in New York in 2005 for $192,000. Unique are extraterrestrial olivines and peridots in so-called pallasites, stony-iron meteorites from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. They consist of a metallic matrix and a mineral phase, mainly olivine, and are occasionally referred to as “pallavine”. Locations include Argentina, China, Indonesia, Russia and the USA.
Exclusive colored gemstones are among nature’s most coveted treasures. These precious objects are rare not only because of their color, but also because of their uniqueness and limited availability.
What makes them so special: their extraordinary color intensity and brilliance, which can be caused by rare chemical elements or inclusions. For example, the deep red ruby gets its color from the element chromium. The natural color variations make each stone a unique work of art. The rarity of colored gemstones also contributes to their exclusivity. Discovery and mining is often laborious and requires special geological conditions. In addition, factors such as clarity, cut and size play a crucial role in determining the value of a colored gemstone.
Due to their exclusivity and not least their historical significance, high-quality colored gemstones have a long history as symbols of wealth and prestige. Their fascination and appeal make them sought-after collector’s items that last for generations and contribute to wealth preservation across generations. Today, colored gemstones are a popular alternative investment that helps diversify one’s wealth and secure it across generations. If you would like to find out more about the latest investment opportunities, your DEH contacts will be happy to hear from you.
In our blog you can look forward to regular updates on current news from the areas of social and political developments and finances, coupled with stories of beautiful colored gemstones that were written by our planet millions of years ago.
