Chrysoberyl – a truly hidden Gem

Few lovers of gemstones have had the chance to see this prized gemstone so let us start with some key facts. This is one of the hardest gem-quality minerals – registering 8.5 on the moh’s scale of hardness, and exceeded only by diamonds, rubies and sapphires.

Chrysoberyl is also one of the rarest gemstones and is closely related to Alexandrite – the colour change stone.  The most common colours for chrysoberyl are yellow, hence the name which means “golden” in Greek, although it also occurs in green and shades of brown.

Above : Colourless chrysoberyl is so rare that our reference books only have this picture of Chrysoberyl crystal in its yellow-brown form

With a refractive index of 1.74-1.75 the chrysoberyl has a very similar fire to that found in sapphires and rubies. The most significant locations for finding this rare stone are Mynamar, the Ural Mountains of Russia, Sri Lanka and Brazil.

The Damian By Mischelle Chrysoberyl

The famous Mogok-region in Mynmar has been the source of some of the most sought after rubies and sapphires for several centuries. For precisely this reason it is also the rare source of some truly exceptional chrysoberyls.

In 2011 Danian By Mischelle was fortunate to secure a 23.9ct colourless chrysoberyle from our partners in Mogok. In its rough form the stone weighed in at 47.44ct. The decision was made, and rightly so in our view, to maximise both the brilliance and the clarity of this stone, and 50% of the rough was lost in the cutting and polishing process on site. However, the result speaks for itself.

There are several unique aspects to this stone. The absence of colour makes it even rarer within the group whilst at 23.9ct the size is truly exceptional. With its cushion cut, this stone can be mistaken for either a white sapphire or even a diamond. The crucial difference is that it is far rarer than either of these.

We have both the local certificate, proving it’s origin, as well as a full laboratory certificate confirming the exact status of the stone. As an illustration of just how rare this stone is, the team at the laboratory have not analysed another one in the past twenty-five years !

To find out more or to initiate a specific stone search or discuss creating a one-off design with Damian By Mischelle click on the following link : appointments@damianbymischelle.com