Nat Chrome Diopside

Nat Chrome Diopside From Siberia 1.15 CT 

Natural Chrome Diopside is a vibrant, forest-green gemstone primarily colored by chromium. It serves as a popular and affordable alternative to premium green gems like emerald and tsavorite garnet. Known for its high clarity and rich color saturation, it remains completely natural and untreated. 

Essential Key Facts

• Primary Source: Most gem-quality material is mined in the remote, frigid region of Siberia, Russia. This limits mining to just a short summer window each year. 
• Vivid Coloration: Traces of chromium give the stone its intense green glow, earning it the trade name "Russian Emerald".
• Size Constraint: Most available stones range between 1 and 2 carats. Stones over 3–5 carats become so intensely saturated that they appear nearly black.
• Zero Enhancements: Unlike emeralds, which are routinely treated with oils or resins, chrome diopside is completely unheated and untreated. 

Physical Properties

• Hardness: Ranks 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. This makes it softer than quartz, emerald, or sapphire.
• Brilliance: Possesses a vitreous, glass-like luster and a high refractive index. This provides excellent sparkle when properly faceted.
• Durability: It is somewhat brittle and features imperfect cleavage in two directions. It requires protective jewelry settings.