Peridot: Salon With Constance Lauvinerie
Salon with Peridot Expert: Constance Lauvinerie -
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We had a salon with Constance Lauvinerie, Head of the Jewellery Department at Collector Square
First discovered almost three thousand years ago close to St John's Island near Egypt, the Peridot was one of the favourite stones of Cleopatra and was celebrated by the Ancient Egyptians as the "Gemstone of the Sun" under its ancient name, Chrysolite.
The legends around this stone are numerous: lt is supposed to aid friendship, to free the spirit of the sin of envy, to make its carrier more eloquent and to cure the diseases of the liver. Nowadays, this semi-precious gemstone - the birthstone of August - is highly attractive to jewellers, appreciated for its luminosity and unique characteristics.
Constance Lauvinerie, Head of the Jewellery Department at Collector Square provides more information on Peridot, the green gemstone, which aligns nicely with Pantone's colour of the year 'Greenery' for 2017. Collector Square, a leading website and Paris showroom specialising in the consignment and sale of pre-owned luxury bags, watches and jewellery, deal in high end Peridot pieces.
Which colour should you choose on the peridot spectrum?
CL: Formerly called “Sun Stone”, the Peridot is widely used in jewellery where it is particularly admired for its vibrant colour when it is "grass green".
The colours of the Peridot range from delicate linden green, to slightly golden to a deep, intense green reminiscent of forests.
This criterion is subjective but, in general, intense tones are the most valuable and sought-after, while lighter tones are less expensive, more shiny and easier to find.
Is there method to examinning clarity, cut and carat?
CL: The Peridot is quite a solid gem so it can be cut in many forms, but the sizes that bring out the brilliance of the green gem best are the oval, emerald and cushion sizes.
Peridot usually doesn’t show impurities that are visible to the naked eye but, in some cases, larger stones can present inclusions that give additional charm to the stone. Holding the peridot up to a light source will make these visible. Some gems have inclusions resembling a “lily pad” or “cat’s eye”, which is unique to this stone.
One carat equals 0.20 grams of peridot. This measure is extremely accurate and will, in part, determine the price of the stone. Peridot has a lighter density than other gems (3.28), such as sapphire (3.95), meaning that for the same carat, peridot gems will be larger in size than the sapphire.
What are the best sources of peridot?
CL: The price of peridot varies enormously depending on its colour, purity and size.
The price of a piece of jewellery containing peridot can also vary from one brand to another and depending on the craftsmanship.
At Collector Square, we have a number of pieces of peridot jewellery including a Mauboussin ring and a pair of Bulgari earrings.
One should buy pre-set peridot jewellery at a professional jewellers, second-hand market or trusted pre-owned website such as Collector Square, where the stones have been thoroughly assessed by an expert.
About the Contributor
A graduate of the Institut National de Gemmologie and holder of the HRD Antwerp Certified Diamond Grader Diploma, Constance Lauvinerie developed her expertise in antique and designer jewellery whilst working for internationally acclaimed auction houses and jewellers. She now heads up the Jewellery Department at Collector Square.
Collector Square is a website and Paris showroom specialising in the consignment and sale of pre-owned luxury items online including bags, watches and jewellery. Launched in 2013 by the founder of Artcurial auction house, Nicolas Orlowski, and digital entrepreneur, Loïc Bocher, in just three years Collector Square has become market leader in Europe for the sale of pre-owned luxury items online.
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