Color:
Chrysoberyl occurs in many
colors, predominately shades
of green and brown. Chrysoberyl
cat's eye is honey color,
a medium yellow with modifying
brown. Alexandrite will change
colors from red to green depending
on what type of light it is
viewed in.
Clarity:
Type
I Transaprent green and yellow
Optic Character: DR
Biaxial Positive
Cause
of Color:
Fe
Fluorescence: Generally
Inert
Fracture
:
Concoidal
Luster
:
Vitreous
to greasy
Cleavage :Indistinct;
3 directions; rarely seen
Durability:
Excellent
Characteristics
for Identification:
Silk,
fingerprint inclusions,twinning planes, step-like
glide planes
Localities:
Russia, Brazil, and Asia
Chrysoberyl
Family
Alexandrite
Catseye Alexandrite
Chrysoberyl
Catseye Chrysoberyl
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Chrysoberyl
Chrysoberyl is a beryllium aluminum oxide, not at all
related to the mineral beryl,
which is a silicate. The most valuable varieties of
chrysoberyl are alexandrite,
and cat's eye. Cat's eye was long admired in the orient
for its chatoyant character, but it wasn't popular in
the West until the late 1800's. The third and most common
variey of chrysoberyl is a transparent greenish yellow
stone. It was very popular in Victorian and Edwardian
jewelry. Cat's eye is believed to protect one from evil
spirits or the evil eye. According to the Hindus, the
stone would preserve your health and guard against poverty.
In Asia it was thought that if you pressed a cat's eye
between your own eyes it would enhance your foresight.
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