Discovering Chrysoberyl: East Africa's Underrated Gemstone

Hello from Kenya! We're currently immersed in the vibrant world of East African gemstones, sourcing deeply unique stones, and today, we're inspired to talk about a gem that deserves far more recognition: Chrysoberyl.

Beyond Alexandrite: The Golden Luster of Chrysoberyl

When most people in the fine jewellery space hear "Chrysoberyl," they instantly think of Alexandrite, the famous, highly prized color-change variety. While Alexandrite is exceptional, we are particularly captivated by the stunning, lesser-known varieties found here.

The classic, vivid yellow variety truly shines. It boasts a brilliant, almost luminescent yellow hue. The colour spectrum ranges beautifully, offering everything from warm brownish to subtle greenish to a bright, dazzling lemon yellow gemstone. The name itself tells part of the story, deriving from the Greek chrysos (meaning golden) and berylos (referring to the blue-green hues of the sea).

A Rare Find: Tanzanian Blue Chrysoberyl

During our sourcing trip, a few Marquise cut gemstones really spoke to us, and they are definitely coming home to be crafted into designs.

But we were also incredibly lucky to stumble upon a piece of blue Chrysoberyl. This specimen displayed a lovely, unique minty tone that we hadn't encountered before. This particular tone is unique to Chrysoberyl sourced from Tanzania and is a natural indicator of vanadium trapped within the crystal structure-a fascinating detail for any gem collector.

Why Chrysoberyl is Perfect for Fine Jewellery

Beyond its gorgeous aesthetics and intriguing colours, here is why we believe Chrysoberyl should be your next choice for precious stone jewellery:

Exceptional Durability for Everyday Wear: Chrysoberyl boasts an impressive 8.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. This makes it the third hardest natural gemstone after Diamond (10) and Corundum (Sapphire and Ruby, 9).
Ideal for Rings: Its superior hardness means Chrysoberyl is highly scratch-resistant and exceptionally durable. This makes it a perfect, practical choice for engagement rings, everyday rings, and other pieces of high-end jewellery that are subject to daily wear.

Chrysoberyl is a truly robust, sparkling, and colour-rich natural gemstone that deserves more time in the global spotlight. It’s an East African gem that offers incredible brilliance and longevity for your most cherished pieces.