Chrysoprase
Last updated: April 2026
Apple-green to yellow-green chalcedony; color caused by nickel silicate inclusions. Australia (Marlborough, Queensland) is the primary source. Distinguished from green jade by much lower RI and SG. Color fades on prolonged exposure to strong light or heat. Dyed white chalcedony is a common simulant — detect by acetone test or color in surface fissures under loupe.
Chrysoprase has a specific gravity of 2.61 and a refractive index of 1.530–1.543, with a Mohs hardness of 6.5–7.0. It is aggregate.
Physical & Optical Properties
Related: Quartz Varieties
Key Differentiators
- Apple-green to yellow-green translucent body color caused by nickel — primary identifier
- Waxy luster; RI ~1.535 (much lower than emerald 1.565–1.602 and jade 1.66)
- SG 2.58–2.64 (much lower than jadeite 3.24–3.43 and nephrite 2.90–3.03)
- Color from nickel (not chromium like emerald or jadeite)
- Distinguish from jade: refractometer and heft immediately diagnostic
Common Simulants
- Green jadeite jade: RI 1.66 (vs 1.535); SG 3.24–3.43 (vs 2.61) — much heavier. Fibrous interlocking texture under magnification. Refractometer and heft reliably separate these materials.
- Nephrite jade: RI 1.600–1.627; SG 2.90–3.03 (heavier). Fibrous texture; felty surface. Distinguish by RI and heft.
- Green glass / emerald simulant: Emerald: RI 1.565–1.602; SG 2.67–2.78; biaxial DR; Chelsea filter red. Easily separated by refractometer.
- Green Glass: Isotropic; gas bubbles; SG variable (~2.3–4.5); no waxy luster.
Commonly Confused With
Commonly confused with: Turquoise.
Treatments
- Dyed green (common imitation — dyed white chalcedony)
Price Context
Price context is approximate. Loupewise is not an appraisal tool. Results are indicators, not certified valuations.
Measurement Guides
Identifying a chrysoprase? Loupewise walks through these tests in order — RI, SG, fluorescence, and more.
Try Loupewise Free →Studying for the GIA, FGA, or FEEG practical? Chrysoprase is one of the 130 species in Loupewise’s drill and exam pool — practice identifying it from its measured properties under timed exam conditions.
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