Black star diopside 3.91ct 8.9mm round cabochon

A round black diopside cabochon with a very deep, opaque jet-black body color and a high-gloss mirror polish. The asterism appears as a soft, silky four-ray cross that catches under direct light, with arms of golden-bronze sheen that converge near the stone's center. The overall effect is gentle and diffuse on this piece, the star visible in the light rather than dramatically pronounced.

Asterism is an optical phenomenon in which fine needle-like inclusions inside a gemstone scatter incoming light into a star visible across the polished surface of a cabochon. In black star diopside from Africa, the four-ray cross is produced by two sets of rutile needle inclusions oriented at right angles to each other within the crystal structure. The stone is untreated, and a pendant or brooch setting is a natural fit for appreciating the star under directed light.

• Stone type: Natural diopside
• Weight: 3.91 ct
• Size: 8.9 mm
• Color: Black
• Phenomenon: Asterism (4-ray star)
• Cut: Round cabochon
• Clarity: Opaque
• Treatment: Untreated
• Origin: Africa
• Hardness: 5.5-6 (Mohs)

Natural black star diopside, untreated, asterism, sold loose.