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Evaluation :
Clinohumite is rated at 6 on the Moh's Scale of Hardness and special care should
be taken with these stones because of their brittleness and extreme rarity.
Clinohumite is typically light to dark brownish, or an orangish yellow in color
with a transparency ranging from transparent to translucent. Some Clinohumite specimens
are fluorescent and when subjected to shortwave ultraviolet light, the stone will
fluoresce a tan to orangish yellow color. Clinohumite is also pleochroic, meaning
that a single stone displays different colorations depending on the angle the stone
is viewed at. In Clinohumite's case, crystals are pleochroic, and range from yellow
to colorless.
Today there are only two sources of gem-quality Clinohumite, both of which are extremely
rare, meaning that Clinohumite is well sought-after by avid collectors. The Taymyr
material tends to be a dark reddish brown, whereas the Pamir material is more of
a bright yellowish to brownish orange in color. The Pamir material is reported to
have a hardness slightly greater than 6 and tends to be less brittle than specimens
from Taymyr.
Common Cuts :
Top quality Clinohumite specimens have been known to be faceted, but this is extremely
rare. Generally, quality specimens are kept by mineral collectors and therefore
never faceted.
Routine Enhancements :
There are no known enhancements for Clinohumite.
Care & Cleaning :
In addition to its rarity, Clinohumite is relatively brittle so special care should
always be taken in order to keep the specimen in its original condition. Steam and
ultrasonic cleaners, household chemicals, and prolonged exposure to excessive heat should all be avoided.
Clinohumite jewelry should always be stored in a fabric-lined
box away from other jewelry items to avoid damage / scratching.
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