Diopside (chrome)

Color: Chrome green to colorless.
Moh’s Hardness: 5-6
Refractive Index: 1.671-1.726
Critical Angle: 36.78°
Specific Gravity: 3.27-3.31
Cleavage: Perfect
Fracture: Uneven
Heat Sensitivity: Yes in my experience
Dichroic: weak
Birefringence (double refraction): Medium (.028)
Crystal Structure: Monoclinic

Treatments: Generally none

What I prefer to polishing with: Alumina or cerium oxide on most standard polishing laps or chrome oxide Ultralap.

Jeff's Comments: Cuts and polishes pretty easily, can be a little tough to polish sometimes. It seems to grab diamonds and can scratch. Watch the heat when dopping. Orient stone to avoid cleavage plane. Use an extra-fine lap for pre-polishing.

Design Notes: About any designs will work well... I like shallow checker designs because the color is usually on the saturated side

Design Links:
Brilliant Pear - This is great for clear rough if you have a piece that will work...

Rough Links:
Chrome Diopside - Chrome Diopside from Russia

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E-mail to inquire or order: jeff@faceters.com