Chrysoprase Jewelry
The apple-green variety of chalcedony, coloured by nickel. The most valuable of the chalcedony family
Unearthed Gemstones Chrysoprase Jewelry
Click the photos for a closer look of the jewelry pieces
Hardness
6.5 - 7 (Durable): Great for daily wear.
Toughness
Good (Generally resistant to chipping under normal wear)
Mineral Family
Quartz (Chalcedony)
Transparency
Translucent to Opaque
Crystal System
Trigonal
Lustre
Waxy
What Is Chrysoprase?
Chrysoprase is the most valuable of the chalcedonies, a luminous apple-green stone coloured by traces of nickel. Its fresh colour can look remarkably like fine jade, which is why it has sometimes been nicknamed Australian jade. And Australia is indeed the key source, especially the Marlborough district in Queensland, with more material from Tanzania, Indonesia and Poland. It was a favourite of Frederick the Great of Prussia, who decorated buildings and jewellery with it in the 1700s.
Is Chrysoprase Durable Enough for Everyday Jewelry?
At 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale with chalcedony's dependable toughness, chrysoprase handles daily wear happily. It is cut as cabochons and beads to show its even, glowing green.
How to Care for Chrysoprase Jewelry
Its colour comes partly from water in the stone, so long stretches of strong sunlight or heat can fade it, though resting it in a damp cloth can sometimes revive it.
How to Tell If Chrysoprase Is Real
Dyed green chalcedony is a common imitation, and it usually looks flatter and more artificial than the real thing, which is all we sell.
Gemstones Similar to Chrysoprase
Green aventurine and variscite share its fresh green, and nephrite jade is its classic look-alike.
