Judging quality
Below about two carats the color is bright; above that it usually goes over-dark, which is why fine large stones are scarce. Emerald is harder and included; tsavorite is singly refractive.
Pyroxene
Chrome Diopside
Intensely green chromium diopside from Siberia, mined in a brief window each year when the Yakutian ground is workable. Small stones are vividly green; larger ones darken toward black.
Care
Cleavage in two directions and modest hardness — pendant and earring stone rather than a ring stone.
History & lore
Commercial mining at Inagli began only in the late 1980s, making this one of the newest gems in the trade.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Chrome Diopside
- What is Chrome Diopside?
- Intensely green chromium diopside from Siberia, mined in a brief window each year when the Yakutian ground is workable. Small stones are vividly green; larger ones darken toward black.
- How hard is Chrome Diopside and what is it made of?
- Chrome Diopside is a Pyroxene-family mineral with the composition CaMgSi2O6 (Cr-bearing). It crystallizes in the monoclinic system and rates 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in emerald green, bottle green, green.
- Where does Chrome Diopside come from?
- Notable localities for Chrome Diopside include Inagli, Yakutia, Russia, Pakistan, Finland.
- How do you tell good Chrome Diopside from filler?
- Below about two carats the color is bright; above that it usually goes over-dark, which is why fine large stones are scarce. Emerald is harder and included; tsavorite is singly refractive.
- How do you care for Chrome Diopside?
- Cleavage in two directions and modest hardness — pendant and earring stone rather than a ring stone.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.