Prehnite Pendant in Sterling Silver

42mm x 22mm

Prehnite is a translucent to transparent gem-quality hydrated calcium aluminum silicate. It was the first mineral to be named after an individual, and it was also the first mineral to be described from South Africa, long before South Africa became one of the most important sources for precious and semi-precious gems. It was first described in 1788 after it was discovered in the Karoo dolerites of Cradock, South Africa. Prehnite was later named after its discoverer, Colonel Hendrik von Prehn (1733-1785), a Dutch mineralogist and an early governor of the Cape of Good Hope colony.

Until recently, prehnite was a rare collector's gemstone, but new deposits have now made it more readily available. In China, prehnite is sometimes referred to as 'grape jade' owing to its typical nodule formations which often resemble a bunch of grapes. Its color is usually a soft apple-green, which is quite unique to prehnite, but it can also occur in rarer colors including yellow, orange and blue.