Chrysoberyl

Item Description

Here we have a classic brightly colored Chrysoberyl from Brazil. The stone features a beautiful yellow-green hue with a "Round Brilliant" cut and slight inclusions. Some of the best and most well-known gem quality Chrysoberyls come from Brazil where they have been mined for many decades. I've had a few people ask me about the differences between Chrysoberyl and Beryl, and although species contain beryllium, Chrysoberyl is an oxide mineral, where Beryl is a silicate species and Chrysoberyl actually has a slight higher hardness at 8½ as opposed to Beryl which has a hardness of 8. Most Chrysoberyls you'll find on the market are some shade of either yellow or green, except for Alexandrite, which is the color-changing variety of Chrysoberyl that can be found in a wide range of colors from reds and purples to blues and greens (depending upon the temperature of the light in which they are viewed). This stone is from the estate of former Phoenix area dealer Marvin Rockey. Rockey's Gems was a significant business in the early days of Arizona lapidary material, and he was a prominent dealer and buyer in the Arizona area of local lapidary and carving material from throughout the state, along with material from Mexican localities. This stone was kept back from the retail stock for its quality and beauty, in a tray of special gems, and was found in his estate (sold to us only recently). Today, these are not only rarely seen but of a highly desirable old quality, and sought after by collectors and gem / jewelry enthusiasts alike.