Chrome Diopside -$6 to $12/carat
Locality: Russia

 

Chrome Diopside is fairly soft 6-7 on the hardness scale, but it does have a nice refractive index (R.I.) of 1.67 to 1.72. It is very hard to get rough in larger sizes (over 5 cts) clean, and the supply is not dependable at all. It is mined mainly in Africa and Russia, but there are a few other locations. The Russian material is generally a greener color and more chrome looking, the African material seems to be a little more towards the yellow side. It needs to be cut gently because of it's perfect cleavage, and is a little heat sensitive. It polishes pretty easy on a Lucite lap with cerium oxide, I have had good luck with Spectra Ultra Lap. Because of the high saturation, most stones should be cut as a step (for color) or in a shallow brilliant design.

Currently Available:
Sorry out of stock...

Rough Index

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