Welcome to SuchenGems!

Sphene, also known as titanite, is a gemstone characterized by its brilliant fire, which can exceed that of a diamond, and its high dispersion. It is a calcium titanium silicate mineral that comes in colors like yellow, green, brown, and red. While its optical properties are stunning, sphene is relatively soft with a Mohs hardness of 5 to 5.5 and is often found with inclusions, making eye-clean and flawless specimens rare and valuable.

Physical and chemical properties

• Chemical Formula:

  CaTiSiO5

  CaTiSiO5

  (calcium titanium silicate)

• Hardness: 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale

• Color: Ranges from yellowish-green, green, and orange-brown to red and colorless, with chrome-green being particularly rare

• Refractive Index: 1.843 to 2.110

• Cleavage: Has good cleavage, is brittle, and has a high birefringence

• Luster: Adamantine luster, meaning it has a diamond-like shine

• Dispersion: High dispersion, which causes it to separate light into a spectrum of colors, creating "fire"

• Pleochroism: Exhibits pleochroism, meaning it displays different colors when viewed from different angles

Appearance and value

• Sphene is prized for its exceptional brilliance and fire, sometimes compared to or even exceeding that of a diamond.

• The most desirable colors are bright green, particularly yellow-green and chrome-green.

• Due to its softness, it is not recommended for daily wear in rings, but is suitable for earrings, pendants, or brooches if set properly.

Origin

• Sphene crystals are typically found in metamorphic and igneous rocks like gneiss, schist, and granitic pegmatites.

• Major sources include Brazil, Burma, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, Austria, Sri Lanka, and the USA.