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Sources :
There are known deposits of Diopside in Austria, Brazil, Canada, Finland, India,
Italy, Madagascar, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka (Ceylon),
and the United States.
Evaluation :
Diopside is rated at 5.5 on Moh's Scale of Hardness and though it is
suitable for jewelry purposes, care should be taken with this stone for it is relatively soft
and brittle.
Diopside is most often bottle-green in color, though it can be found colorless,
brown, black, violet-green, and blue colors. The two most well-known varieties of
Diopside are the emerald-green like Chrome Diopside and the Black Star Diopside.
Chrome Diopside offers a beautiful rich green color at low cost, in fact, it is
the most affordable of the pure rich-green colored gemstones. It is most readily
available in small sizes as the color becomes too dark in larger sizes. Black Star
Diopside is black in color with occasional shades of green, and exhibits a star
like phenomenon known as Asterism. These stones contain inclusions in the form of
needles that align to produce a white 4-rayed star. It is unique in this sense because
it is the only gemstone to exhibit a 4-rayed star. There is also a rare blue variety
of Diopside, known as Violane that is found in some localities in Italy.
The value of Diopside will depend on the variety chosen. Eye-clean Chrome Diopsides
exhibiting a rich, even green color will be at the higher end of the value spectrum.
The value of Black Star Diopside is judged primarily by taking into account the
sharpness of the displayed star.
Common Cuts :
Chrome Diopside is the variety most often seen faceted, whereas Violane is generally
used for beads and inlay work. Black Star Diopside are cut
into Cabochons, the only
shape that allows the stone to display the beautiful asterism, or star.
Routine Enhancements :
There are no known enhancements for Diopside.
Care & Cleaning :
Diopside is a relatively soft and brittle gemstone so care should be taken to avoid
any sharp blows or scratches. It is best cleaned
using warm
soapy water and a soft
brush to remove any collected dust or grease. As with most gemstones, Diopsides
should be kept away from prolonged exposure to excessive heat and household chemicals
that can cause permanent damage to the stone.
Always store your Diopside jewelry in a fabric-lined
box away from other harder
jewelry items so as to avoid damage / scratching.
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