I'm partial towards San Carlos, Arizona, peridot because it is a true American gem. If you haven't already read our pages on the San Carlos gemfield, click here. In spite of the fine peridot now coming out of Pakistan, San Carlos still produces the bulk of the world's supply of gem peridot. People who don't know better complain about its color (It's true some is an unattractive dark olive green), but the better material from this location is as fine as that from Pakistan, China, or any other area. This specimen shows how the San Carlos olivine occurs. The grey matrix is a vesicular basalt that surrounds nodules of shattered olivine. About one percent of these nodules contain fragments of gem grade peridot large enough to facet. This particular specimen has fractured olivine nodules on all sides. I am only showing you the side that contains fine greenish-yellow olivine. Some of the olivine fragments are fairly large; almost large enough for lapidary purposes. The specimen weighs 1.5 pounds. (#M214, priced at $7.50 Sold ) BACK