There are three main varieties of chrysoberyl: ordinary yellow-to-green chrysoberyl, cat’s eye or cymophane, and alexandrite (color change). The gemstone chrysoberyl is not to be confused with beryl, despite the similarity of their names, chrysoberyl and beryl are two completely different gemstones.

 Chrysoberyl is the third-hardest frequently encountered natural gemstone and lies at 8.5 on the hardness scale, an excellent hard-wearing gem that suitable for all kinds of jewelry. Chrysoberyl also has a high refractive index, just slightly lower than ruby and sapphire, so it has excellent brilliance. It has a vitreous luster and very clean and transparent specimens can be found. It is always untreated but yet it sells at very affordable prices, primarily due to its low profile in the gemstone world. Fine faceted Chrysoberyl can be considered as a very good alternative to more expensive yellow sapphire (which is almost always heated), or as a step up from the less expensive citrine or yellow topaz.

• ORIGIN : MADAGASCAR, AFRICA