Peridot crystal with cut gem (old Egypt)

Item Description

A super 2-piece "gem" deal of rough and cut forsterite variety peridot from THE classic locale! The gemmy, euhedral, well-striated, rich green peridot crystal is from THE CLASSIC locale for gem forsterite - St. Johns Island in the Red Sea off Egypt. This ancient locality was mined for peridot or "night emerald" as it was called, in the time of the Egyptian pharoahs! These are the CLASSIC gems of antiquity, more rare than emerald or ruby in biblical times. This is a locale now long gone and to my knowledege not collected from after the early 1900s at latest. In fact, the site is now quite literally under the Red Sea. This is a superb, historic, 14.2 carat gem crystal and a fine thumbnail as well. Valued $900-1200 on its own - and seldom found in the old, choice thumbnail collections assembled by the last generation. The very pretty, 1.44 carat cut stone is a nice accent, said to also be from this locale by the gem dealer I purchased it from in an old stock lot (and he says it predates his Pakistani material, and came from an old collection itself). It is perhaps worth $150-200 on its own, regardless of origin, as it is bright and pure of color.