CHRYSOBERYL              

CHRYSOBERYL

Discovered in Russia at the end of the 18th century, chrysoberyl is one of the most sublime yellow gemstones ever found – a hidden beauty among gems. Colored by iron, its golden lemony-lime color is sometimes brown and sometimes orange. If you have ever passed through lemon groves – seen the fruit ripen on the tree and smelled the blossoms, or had a bowl of lemons or limes ripen at home, you will appreciate chrysoberyl and the fresh lightness its colorinspires; like a summer evening on the veranda of a Mediterranean villa.

Chrysoberyl is one of the most durable gemstones: ideal for jewelry. While perhaps best knownfor its varieties of cat’s eye and alexandrite, chrysoberyl is itself exceptional and stands out due toits unique color.

Chrysoberyl is famous amongst mineralogists for its crystal habit that is mostly seen as cyclic triplets in a hexagonal looking tabular crystal. It is found in famous gem localities like Brazil,Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Stones from Tanzania exhibit a rare bluish-green color due to the presence of vanadium.

It is often free of flaws, eye-clean, and high color saturation increases its value. Large sizes are seldom found. While very popular in Victorian times, its comparative rarity since then has made chrysoberyl mostly a gemstone for collectors or gem enthusiasts, or occasionally just for people who value its hidden beauty and are inspired by it.

Chrysoberyl is thought to increase self-confidence and creativity. It has also been associated with wealth and good luck because of the golden yellow color from which its name is derived (chrysos:ancient Greek for golden). Its lemony golden green color inspires happiness and stimulates the imagination. This is truly an underestimated gem.
(Chapter from the Book “Gemstones. Terra Connoisseur” by Vladyslav Yavorskyy)