Chrome Diopside
Chrome Diopside is colored green because it contains the mineral Chromium. Chrome Diopside is not nearly as beautiful as some other gem names — however, don’t let that fool you because this gem is incredible. There are other varieties of diopside; however, chrome diopside is the rich-green color gem grade variety. The chrome rich variety comes from Siberia within Russia.
Mining Chrome Diopside can be very tough to do. In sub-zero temperatures, a man’s strength is diminished greatly. Too much exposure can result in hypothermia and death. Miners take every precaution and can not mine during the bone-crushing winter months.
Chrome Diopside is typically found included and in small crystals. It has twice the refractive index of emerald, which gives it a vibrant diamond-like sparkle. Its color is saturated, and as the stone gets bigger, it can be too saturated that it darkens. That is why you’ll mostly never see a chrome diopside over 5 carats in weight. Most are cut to under 2 carats in weight.
Other names for it include Russian Diopside, Chromium Diopside, and trademarked names like Vertelite(TM). Some even call it Siberian Emerald (although the stone is not an emerald or part of the beryl group). A very popular cut for chrome diopside is oval, cushion, emerald cut (octagon), and rounds. Take a look at our best-selling large chrome diopside stone - a 9×7mm emerald cut chrome diopside.
