Forsterite var: Peridot (sharp gemmy crystal) with Ludwigite inclusions

Item Description

Peridot is the gem green variety of Forsterite, best known typically either as faceted material or crude / granular examples in nature. There are a handful of localities in the world that produce exemplary crystals of Peridot, and Sapat Gali is certainly in the highest echelon in terms of size, color, sharpness and transparency. These attractive Peridots crystals began showing up in the early 1990s and no world locality has produced the quality and quantity of euhedral Peridot crystals like Sapat Gali. This miniature sized piece is a vibrant green colored, sharp, well-formed, euhedral, lustrous, very gemmy crystal, free of matrix. The top portion of the crystal is almost completely transparent when backlit (I would say it's bordering on gem quality), and you can see some dark grey acicular inclusions of the rare borate Ludwigite frozen inside. Typically, even the gemmy Peridot crystals from this locality are either dull or rounded, but this one is better than most due to it's well-formed faces with good luster. There is a separation mark on the lower front edge where the crystal was intergrown with another Peridot at one point, but the termination is damage-free, and the piece glowing with gorgeous green color even with modest backlighting. Specimen weight is 20.4 grams. Valued $1,500.