2.24 ct. St. John’s Island Egyptian Peridot Cabochon
Color: Medium Dark Slightly Yellowish-Green
Clarity: Slightly Included
Origin: St. John’s Island (Zabargad), Egypt
Cut: Oval Cabochon
Treatments: None
Measurements: 8.5 x 6.9 mm
Here is a gem variety that is essentially irreplaceable today - Peridot from St. John's Island (Zabargad), Egypt. This is believed to be the oldest locality for Peridot as a gem material and has been mined since antiquity. The island was mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia and was well known as a mining locality in the Hellenistic period. Zabargad (Arabic for peridot) is located in the Red Sea and is now part of a park - the area has not seen active mining since the early 20th century and much collecting for several decades. This stone was sourced as rough from salvaged stock of a 19th century French gem merchant. There are precious few stones with such a historic provenance available. These look great as cabs - like something out of a piece of Roman jewelry.