The meaning behind apatite's Greek root apate (pronounced "ap-at'-ay"), meaning "to deceive," alludes to apatite's uncanny similarity to other, more valuable, minerals such as olivine, peridot and beryl.

Apatite's existence has been known since ancient times but it was not even formally named 'apatite' until 1786. It has only been in the last several years that apatite, with it's many vibrant colors, has caught the attention of jewelry designers and the public.

It's a pity that there is so little to say, historically, about this beautiful mineral that comes in such a wide variety of colors and is found in so many locales around the world -- but, as Gertrude Stein once said about Oakland, "there is no there, there."