Chrysoberyl
A durable gemstone known for its brilliance. The cat's eye variety (cymophane) shows strong chatoyancy; faceted transparent chrysoberyl does not.
Physical & Optical Properties
RI Range1.746–1.755
SG Range3.70–3.78
SG Typical3.73
Hardness (Mohs)8.5
Crystal SystemOrthorhombic
Optic CharacterDR Biaxial (+)
Birefringence0.009
Dispersion0.015
Fluorescence LWInert
Fluorescence SWInert
Chelsea FilterInert
PleochroismStrong Trichroic
ColorsYellow Orange, Green, Brown
SpeciesChrysoberyl
Related: Chrysoberyl Varieties
Key Differentiators
- High hardness of 8.5
- High RI and SG
- Often very brilliant
- Cat's eye (cymophane) variety shows chatoyancy — not present in faceted stones
Common Simulants
- Yellow Sapphire: Uniaxial negative DR; RI 1.762–1.778; SG 4.00; stronger dichroism.
- Yellow topaz: Biaxial positive DR; perfect basal cleavage; RI 1.619–1.627; SG 3.53.
- Yellow zircon: Strong birefringence — visible facet doubling under loupe; high dispersion; high SG (4.67).
Commonly Confused With
Commonly confused with: Sapphire, Topaz, Zircon, Aventurine, Heliodor.
Price Context
Natural — low ($/ct)$50
Natural — high ($/ct)$500
NotePer carat; yellow/green non-alexandrite variety; cat's eye variety considerably higher
Price context is approximate. GemID is not an appraisal tool. Results are indicators, not certified valuations.
About Chrysoberyl
A durable gemstone known for its brilliance. The cat's eye variety (cymophane) shows strong chatoyancy; faceted transparent chrysoberyl does not.
Identifying a chrysoberyl? GemID walks through these tests in order — RI, SG, fluorescence, and more.
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