Collection: Dioptase

In the late 18th century, copper miners discovered a huge stone which they identified as an emerald. These miners worked in the Urals, in Kazakhstan. Also, samples of this magnificent crystal of an incredible green color were sent to Moscow for examination. But it turned out that the crystals presented were too soft, they had a hardness of 5 on the Mohs scale, unlike emerald which has a hardness of 8.

This contradicted the findings of the German mineralogist Moritz Rudolph Ferber, the first to study this crystal and who validated it as being an emerald. In fact, it was the French mineralogist René Just Haüy, who in 1797, proved that this mineral was not an emerald. Thus, he determined that this strange mineral from Kazakhstan was a new discovery for science. So he named it “dioptase”, because of its meaning in Greek, namely “dia” meaning “through” and “optazo” meaning “I see”. Indeed, this is related to the fact that it is possible to see the cleavage planes through these crystals. This eminent mineralogist Haüy became professor of mineralogy at the National Museum of Natural History and founder of the Mineralogical Museum.

Dioptase consists of prismatic crystals that are often transparent or translucent. The luster of dioptase is rather glassy. It has a color that ranges from emerald green to dark blue-green. Its hardness is 5 on the Mohs scale, which makes it a relatively fragile stone. Dioptase belongs to the large family of silicates. It is a hydrated copper silicate. It has a rhombohedral crystal system.

Formerly, this mineral was called “copper emerald” and was believed to provide wealth and abundance. In fact, since ancient times, this stone was confused with emerald because of its color and brilliance. It was also called “medicinal emerald” because of its copper content. Ointments would have been prepared thanks to their fungicidal properties.

Due to its fragility, this stone is rarely used in jewelry. This faceted dioptase is very popular with collectors. Its intense color and particular shine make it very popular among mineralogy enthusiasts. It is a very widespread mineral, where there are copper deposits.

The main deposits are located in Namibia, Australia, Canada, China, etc.

In Lithotherapy, dioptase is a stone of support and resilience. It allows people who have suffered trauma in their childhood or in the past to rebuild themselves. In addition, it provides mental strength which gives the courage to face particularly difficult situations and above all to overcome them.

This stone facilitates introspection and puts words to buried pain. It encourages the release of speech, which often leads to healing. It helps fight against sadness, despair and restores hope in life.

Dioptase is ideal in the event of a breakup, because it makes you want to move forward and move on. It fights effectively against the suffering caused by heartbreak. It develops optimism and quality friendly relationships. Thus, it allows you to believe in true love again and to accept meeting new people.

Furthermore, this stone is ideal for provoking forgiveness, soothing anger and removing jealousy. It can go so far as to purify the mind and drive away anxiety and distrust. Thus, it restores confidence in oneself, in others and in life in general. It can thus be the stone to carry during new beginnings, whether sentimental, family or professional.