Feature
Gems & Gemology, Spring 1992, Vol. 28, Issue 1
Peridot as an Interplanetary Gemstone
John Sinkankas, John I. Koivula, and Gerhard Becker
The stony-iron meteorites known as pallasites are famed for the areas of yellowish green olivines they contain. Since the earliest description by Peter Simon Pallas in the 18th century, reference has been made to the gem-like nature of these meteorite "inclusions." Not until the early 20th century, however, was there any record of a faceted pallasitic olivine, and only recently have a handful of stones been available for gemological examination. Study of nine peridots faceted from pallasites revealed properties within the range known for peridots plus a common inclusion feature never before observed in their terrestrial counterparts.
