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Chrome Diopside - gemstone originates from Russia - Birthstone for May

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	Chrome Diopside is a gemstone that typically originates from Russia, Finland, and many times in North America - mainly Canada - and sometimes in Kenya. But as the years have gone on and the stone has become more aloof than prevalent, we have found that Russia has become the primary source for the finer quality Chrome Diopsides. It is a gemstone that can be found in India and usually gives a four star appearance when cut into a cabochon shape (a smooth, non-faceted top). It's been given its' name from the Greek word "Diopsis" meaning, "to have a double appearance." What this means is that it's like some gemstones that from one angle give one color and from another angle can give off another color. Chrome Diopside is a gemstone that can rival a fine quality Tsavorite and even a fine quality Columbian Emerald in beauty and intensity of shade. Though it is rare, especially in larger sizes, it is typically rather inexpensive in comparison to Tsavorite or Emeralds due to its' lack of hardness. On the Mohs Scale of 5-6, similar to that of Opal, we find that Chrome Diopside is a gemstone that is typically suited for pendant and earring wear, but as Opal is put into rings and other jewelry items, Chrome Diopside can have the same occurrence in jewelry, but it needs a little tender loving care. There are as many as twenty known regions that Chrome Diopside has been found including Madagascar, Austria, and Italy. However, it's rarer to find them in these regions. Chrome Diopside became increasingly more difficult to find in the late 1980's and in the early 1990's, due to the Russian strike in 1987. As a result of its borderline jewelry status, you see, until a mine or an output of gemstones reaches 15,000 to 20,000 carats of faceted cut stones per year, it is generally considered only an investors stone and not given jewelry grade or jewelry status. You will generally find Chrome Diopside to be cut in 50% oval cabochon stones (smooth, non-faceted tops) and 50% faceted and calibrated - meaning that they are 8 x 6 mm or 10 x 8 mm, etc., the appropriate sizes to put into a standard size jewelry item. Diopside can also be found, besides its green color, in yellow and reddish-brown colors and was generally considered a collector's gem until recently. So if you are a person born in the month of May and emerald is your birthstone (and you don't like the milky colors or the expensive price of the quality goods, and have thought of going to a chrome tourmaline, jade or some other green gemstone) you may not have found a stone as pleasing to your pocketbook and as well as to your eye as Chrome Diopside.
	Related links to Chrome Diopside: www.gemstone.org The chrome diopside is most available in small sizes: in the rare large sizes, the color becomes so rich it is too dark. But for bright green accent stones, chrome diopside is ideal. However, it is relatively soft, with a hardness of 5.5, so it is a better choice for earrings or a pendant than for a ring which will receive a lot of wear. Chrome diopside is mostly mined in Yakutia and Siberia and the liberalization of the economy of the former Soviet Union has made it more available than even before.... www.diopsidemines.com Siberian Chrome Diopside Gems from Russian Mines We have a mine located in Siberia (in Russia), and we produce ten to fifteen thousand carats of faceted chrome diopside per month. It is cut mainly into calibrated sizes, with few free-size large stones. It is also separated by quality, AA, A, AB, B, and C. Most likely you are here because you need a reliable and reasonable Chrome Diopside source. We are siteholders with over 30 years of experience in the gem business. And we're ready to provide you with exactly the gems you need.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diopside Diopside is a monoclinic pyroxene mineral with composition MgCaSi2O6. It forms solid solution series with hedenbergite (FeCaSi2O6) and augite. It forms variably colored, but typically dull green crystals in the monoclinic prismatic class. It has two distinct prismatic cleavages at 87 and 93° typical of the pyroxene series. It has a Mohs hardness of six and a specific gravity of 3.25 to 3.55. It is transparent to translucent with indices of refraction of nα=1.663 - 1.699, nβ=1.671 - 1.705 and nγ=1.693 - 1.728. The optic angle is 58° to 63°. Diopside is found in mafic (olivine basalts and andesites) to ultramafic (kimberlite and peridotite) igneous rocks. It is also found in a variety of metamorphic rocks. It often occurs in contact metamorphosed skarns developed from high silica dolomites. It is also a constituent of the Earth's mantle.... www.galleries.com PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: * Color is clear, white, blue, bright and pale green to yellowish or greenish brown. * Luster is vitreous. * Transparency crystals are transparent to translucent. * Crystal System is monoclinic; 2/m * Crystal Habits include short prismatic, rarely tabular crystals. The square cross section is distinctive in the prismatic crystals. Also compact, granular, columnar and massive. * Cleavage is perfect in two lengthwise directions at close to right angles and a basal parting direction is sometimes seen. * Fracture is uneven, even rough. * Hardness is 5 - 6 * Specific Gravity is approximately 3.3 (slightly above average) * Streak is white. * Other Characteristics: Some specimens have been known to fluoresce and some specimens have inclusions that can form "cat's eyes" if polished in cabachon. * Associated Minerals are grossular, andradite, fluorite, dolomite, chlorite, vesuvianite, phlogopite, actinolite, olivine, iron meteorites and calcite. * Notable Occurrences include St. Lawrence Co., New York, USA; Ural Mountains, Russia; Mt. Vesuvius and other locallities in Italy; Austria; Germany; Sri Lanka; Brazil; Mogok, Burma; Madagascar; Kimberly, South Africa and Outokumpu, Finland. * Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, associations, color, fracture and cleavage.

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