Diopside
JewelryWiki Editorial·3 sources·Reviewed 2026-08-04
Chrome diopside gives an intense green at a fraction of emerald prices, and the reason is hardness: at 5–6 it abrades in daily wear.
Properties
| Property | Value | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Mohs hardness | 5–6 [1] | — |
| Refractive index | 1.664–1.730 [1] | — |
| Specific gravity | 3.22–3.38 [1] | — |
| Chemical formula | CaMgSi2O6 [3] | — |
| Crystal system | Monoclinic [2] | — |
Sources
- International Gem Society — reference charts (Mohs hardness, specific gravity, refractive index) — International Gem Society (IGS reference charts)
- Wikipedia — mineral article infoboxes (crystal system) — Wikipedia contributors (Wikipedia mineral infoboxes)
- Handbook of Mineralogy — Mineral Data Publishing / Mineralogical Society of America (Handbook of Mineralogy, Mineral Data Publishing)