Kyanite gemstone

Physical properties of kyanite

Characteristics of kyanite

Kyanite (other names - cyanite, disten, cyanit, nilum) means "blue" (from the Greek kyanos).

And this gem got its name due to its rich blue color. Although kyanites come in other colors - yellow, green, blue, purple and black. And sometimes there are almost colorless stones. Or the color of kyanite can change color from different angles of view.

However, only transparent stones of bright color and predominantly blue hues are valued. True, such kyanites are very rare in nature.

There are also kyanites with a characteristic cat's eye effect. These stones are cut into cabochons.

The best kyanite is mined in Kashmir and Punjab (India).

In Russia, in the old days, kyanite was not very popular. Maybe because the crystals mined in the Urals were of rather low quality, and they were used only for inserts and other jewelry trifles.

Another name for kyanite is disten, which is translated from Greek as “doubly resistant”. Kyanite got this name because the hardness of the crystal is different in different directions. Because of this feature, kyanite jewelry requires careful handling.

Sometimes jewelers gave out kyanite for sapphire. However, only an inexperienced person in this matter could make a mistake. In addition, kyanite is much softer than sapphire.

How much does kyanite cost

Jewelry with jewelry kyanite is very rare to find on sale. Yes, and for the price it is quite expensive - $150 - $300 per 1 carat. The price may be higher due to the difficulty of cutting.

Ornamental kyanite is more common. Beads made of translucent or opaque kyanite are valued quite low - $100 - $130.