Peridot (rare locality gem)

Item Description

Peridot is well-known among those in the gem world. It's actually an ancient gemstone, and notably well-documented as it's one of the oldest known stones through history. There are documented accounts that the ancient Egyptians mined Peridot stones on a small volcanic island in the Red Sea which was known historically as Topazios (or Zabargad), but it's called St. John's Island today. These mining endeavors date as far back as 1500 BCE. Peridot was referred to as the “gem of the sun,” by the Egyptians, as they believed the stone protected its wearer from terrors of the night. Today, Peridot is the traditional birthstone for August, but supply has always been limited in terms of places where gem quality material was found.
According to Wikipedia, "The origin of the name peridot is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests an alteration of Anglo–Norman pedoretés (classical Latin pæderot-), a kind of opal, rather than the Arabic word faridat, meaning "gemstone"". This stone is from the famous San Carlos Reservation, where a good amount of the gem grade Peridot has been found for decades. This stone has a fantastic lively yellow-green color, with no brown overtones. It's a decent sized stone from the locality, combined with the fact that it is virtually eye-clean, makes it a great gem for collectors or for someone who wants a stone for a gorgeous piece of jewelry. The cut on the stone is a modified "Cushion" cut.
This stone is from the estate of former Phoenix area dealer Marvin Rockey. Rockey's Gems was a significant business in the early days of Arizona lapidary material, and he was a prominent dealer and buyer in the Arizona area of local lapidary and carving material from throughout the state, including Bisbee, the Ray Mine, Miami mines, and the Peridot finds on Indian lands in the 1950s-1970s. This stone was kept back from the retail stock for its quality and beauty, in a tray of special material, and was found in his estate (sold to us only recently). Today, these are not only rarely seen but of a highly desirable old quality, and sought after by collectors and gem / jewelry enthusiasts alike.