Antieke juwelen glossarium
(verklarende woordenlijst)

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z         (alles)

Diopside

A mineral of which the colour ranges, owing to the presence of varying quantities of iron, from yellow to pale green to dark bottle-green, sometimes having more than one shade in the same crystal.

Some specimens that have inclusions show chatoyancy and are cut en cabochon, and some show asterism with a four-pointed star. Small crystals used for gemstones are transparent and are sometimes step cut. Varieties include alalite, baikalite, chromdiopside, and violan(e).

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson