Chromium-bearing Diopside

Item Description

The best source of gem quality chromium-bearing Diopside ("Chrome Diopside") gems in the world is in Russia, specifically the Inagli Quarry in the southern Sakha Republic. An abstract from Russian Geology and Geophysics states that this locality "has a concentric zonal structure cut by numerous radial-circular vein bodies of pegmatites and pure anchimonomineral rocks (Cr-diopsidites), in places, of jewelry quality." A large percentage of the stones on the market are less than 1 carat, so a stone of this size is a big deal. This stone is a fantastic, very good sized, intense green color, slightly included "Brilliant Oval" cut gemstone of Chrome Diopside. This material is rare due to the fact that the only good rough comes from one place in the world (which has a shortened mining season due to the tremendous amount of annual snowfall). It is very very difficult to find this material in clean stones and inclusions are accepted by most collectors and dealers. This stone is great example of this hard to find gem, especially from the standpoint of size.