On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral species · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Chrysoberyl
Also known asVanadium chrysoberyl
A beryllium aluminium oxide mineral species with the formula BeAl2O4; it is not the same mineral as beryl. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Chrysoberyl forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale; where its colour and optical effects come from, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify ChrysoberylIdentification points from the research literature; how far lab testing can go
- Treatments and enhancements of ChrysoberylThe enhancements and treatments the GB/T and JJA/AGL tables list
- Caring for and wearing ChrysoberylCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them
- Hardness, density and refractive index of ChrysoberylEach value with its source and check date
- Chrysoberyl in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Which of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A have a name for it on record, and do those agree?
- Listing and disclosing ChrysoberylThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define ChrysoberylWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4) is a beryllium aluminate mineral belonging to the chrysoberyl family, distinct from the beryl family (Be3Al2Si6O18). It crystallises in an olivine-type structure with pseudohexagonal orthorhombic symmetry and hexagonal close-packed oxygen. Chrysoberyl is one of the gem crystals produced in granitic pegmatites, occurring together with beryl, garnet, spodumene, topaz and tourmaline; its formation depends on beryllium concentrated by residual pegmatite fluids. Alexandrite (colour change) and cat's-eye chrysoberyl are among its gem varieties.
Scope: Covers the formation and identity of chrysoberyl as a mineral species; its metamorphic-rock occurrences are not fully covered in the cited sources.
Sources G&G Summer 2025 · GIA Emerald Description
Where it forms
Granitic pegmatites; it occurs there alongside gem crystals of beryl, garnet, spodumene, topaz and tourmaline.
Sources G&G Summer 2025
How it forms, step by step
Crustal melting generates magma and incompatible beryllium enters the melt.
The late residual melt enriches in Be and rare alkalis and exsolves an aqueous fluid.
In pegmatite pockets, Be combines with Al to crystallise chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4).
Link to appearance
Chrysoberyl's beryllium aluminate composition and orthorhombic symmetry determine its optical behaviour, unlike the hexagonal cyclosilicate beryl.
Sources G&G Summer 2025
Timescale
Crystallises from water-rich fluid late in pegmatite evolution; growth in pegmatites can be fast (millimetres to over a metre per day).
Sources G&G Summer 2025
Supporting findings
Chrysoberyl is one of the gem crystals produced in granitic pegmatites, occurring with beryl, garnet, spodumene, topaz and tourmaline.
Evidence grade AScope: Pegmatite is one explicitly listed setting and does not exclude others.
Enrichment of residual pegmatite fluids in beryllium supplies the Be for chrysoberyl and other Be-bearing minerals.
Evidence grade AScope: Concerns the residual-fluid evolution of complex, zoned pegmatites.
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Africa
- Tunduru, TanzaniaThe most exciting new source of the 1990s
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- Ilakaka, Madagascar
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
Asia
- Sri LankaMajor source; alluvial gem fields
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- Odisha, IndiaPrinted as Orissa
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
- Andhra Pradesh, India
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
Europe
- Ural Mountains, RussiaClassic alexandrite occurrences; only limited recovery from mine dumps in the 1990s
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
South America
- BrazilMajor source; pegmatite districts
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Causes of colour and optical effects
Color change arises because the chromophore's absorption bands sit near the two ends of the visible spectrum: such a gem absorbs in both the blue-green and the orange-red regions, and its transmitted light is a blend of what remains. When daylight (richer in blue-green) is replaced by incandescent light (richer in orange-red), the balance of absorbed and transmitted wavelengths shifts and the perceived color changes markedly. The alexandrite variety of chrysoberyl shows color change by this mechanism. A quantitative corundum study illustrates it with V3+/Cr3+: the same stone looks greener under D65 daylight and purpler under tungsten illuminant A, showing that the shift depends on both the light source's spectrum and the positions of the absorption bands.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes the optical cause of the color change; the chromophores and band positions differ between gems, and the mechanism does not establish any sample's origin, naturalness, or treatment.
Sources G&G Spring 2020 · G&G Spring 2026 · G&G Summer 2025
- A Quantitative Description of the Causes of Color in Corundum (Gems & Gemology, Spring 2020, Vol. 56, No. 1)
- High-Clarity Suite of Color-Change Pyrope Garnets (Gems & Gemology, Spring 2026)
- Structures Behind the Spectacle: A Review of Optical Effects in Phenomenal Gemstones and Their Underlying Nanotextures (PDF)
How it is identified
Chrysoberyl may resemble other gemstones in appearance, and colour is not a basis for identification. Looks alone cannot establish its identity, whether synthetic, or treated; an accredited laboratory should determine it by instrumentally testing composition, spectra and internal features, and no do-it-yourself criteria are provided here.
Evidence grade AScope: Chrysoberyl identification must be determined by an accredited laboratory with instruments; this entry is not a self-identification basis.
Sources CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
Other research findings
Chrysoberyl has the formula BeAl2O4 and is a beryllium aluminate that crystallises in an olivine-type structure with (pseudohexagonal) orthorhombic symmetry.
Evidence grade AScope: The structural description applies to the chrysoberyl species.
Chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4) and beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18) are two different mineral species.
Evidence grade AScope: Similar names but different species, chemistry and crystal system.
Sources G&G Summer 2025 · GIA Emerald Description
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- Metamorphic-hosted chrysoberyl and P-T constraints are not sufficiently covered by the available sources.
- Synthetic chrysoberyl is outside the formation scope.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Chrysoberyl
GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 “Chrysoberyl” · IMA Mineral List 2026-07 “Chrysoberyl”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
Chrysoberyl is Chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4); use "Chrysoberyl" for listings, and disclose any known treatments.
Evidence
- GB/T · Table A.1, row 金绿宝石 (Chrysoberyl)
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Chrysoberyl" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Care and wear
Care
Chrysoberyl — care (cleaning): ultrasonic and steamer: use caution.
Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Martin, “Gemstone Durability: Design to Display”, Gems & Gemology, Summer 1987: pp.66–67 fold-out chart, Chrysoberyl row, CLEANING column (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Chrysoberyl — care (special care): transparent yellow, brown and green stones: normal care.
AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th ed.
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th edition (August 2026) (AGTA): p.VIII, Gemstone Information Chart, Chrysoberyl transparent Yellow / Brown / Green N, CARE REQUIRED / SPECIAL ADVICE (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Chrysoberyl — care (setting): prong, bezel, flush, channel and pavé: relatively safe.
Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Martin, “Gemstone Durability: Design to Display”, Gems & Gemology, Summer 1987: pp.66–67 fold-out chart, Chrysoberyl row, SETTING column (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Chrysoberyl — care (repair): pickle pot and polishing: relatively safe; thermal shock: use caution; jeweller's torch: avoid; note: alexandrite and cat's-eye may tolerate some heat, but given their value it is best avoided.
Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Martin, “Gemstone Durability: Design to Display”, Gems & Gemology, Summer 1987: pp.66–67 fold-out chart, Chrysoberyl row, REPAIR column (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Chrysoberyl — care (display): heat in the display case, sunlight and artificial light: relatively safe.
Gems & Gemology 1987 (Martin)
- Treatment state
- untreated
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Martin, “Gemstone Durability: Design to Display”, Gems & Gemology, Summer 1987: pp.66–67 fold-out chart, Chrysoberyl row, DISPLAY column (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Common care questions and matching entries
Care for Chrysoberyl: Martin's Gemstone Durability: Design to Display (Gems & Gemology, Summer 1987) states that for untreated Chrysoberyl, ultrasonic and steam cleaning need care; prong, bezel, tension, channel and pavé settings are relatively safe; in repairs, pickling after soldering and polishing are relatively safe, thermal shock needs care and the torch should be avoided, with a further note that alexandrite and cat's-eye may withstand some heat but, given their high value, are best kept away from it; and display-case heat, sunlight and artificial light are relatively safe. The American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) Gemstone Information Manual, 17th edition, states that transparent yellow, brown and green untreated Chrysoberyl needs only normal care.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Question | Matching entries |
|---|---|
| Can it go in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner? | ultrasonic and steamer: use caution |
| Heat and thermal shock | pickle pot and polishing: relatively safe; thermal shock: use caution; jeweller's torch: avoid; note: alexandrite and cat's-eye may tolerate some heat, but given their value it is best avoided |
| Light and display | heat in the display case, sunlight and artificial light: relatively safe |
| Wearing limits (knocks, settings) | prong, bezel, flush, channel and pavé: relatively safe |
How lab reports word it
Report wording for Chrysoberyl is set out under report wording on the Alexandrite entry.
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Besides Chrysoberyl, the name register records "Vanadium chrysoberyl", for which no restriction on use as a name is recorded (CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.254 “Vanadium chrysoberyl”; CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 Annex 8 “Vanadium Chrysoberyl”).
Standard and listing namesThe Chinese formal name for Chrysoberyl is given in GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1, and the suggested listing name is also Chrysoberyl. Names in four languagesThe four-language names are given in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Chrysoberyl) and Japanese (a transliteration and a kanji name); the mineralogical name is Chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4). Institution usageAmong authority wordings, the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 lists Chrysoberyl, and this site has recorded only CIBJO's wording; the FTC source text has no wording for this name (checked); GIA and Gem-A have not been checked, and bodies without a recorded wording show the entry's own English name, which does not represent their position. Japanese namesThe entry's own Japanese names are a transliteration and a kanji name, and the Japanese GSJ wording for this name is not yet verified by this site. Sub-names and unacceptable namesChrysoberyl has the English subordinate name (variety or subtype) Vanadium chrysoberyl, based on the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 and the CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022.
Name register
Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (1) | ||||
| Vanadium chrysoberylEnglish | narrower name (variety or subtype) | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.254 “Vanadium chrysoberyl”; CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 Annex 8 “Vanadium Chrysoberyl” |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- クリソベリル／金緑石 (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- Chinese formal name
- 金绿宝石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
- Mineralogical name
- Chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4)
- Trade names and synonyms
- Vanadium chrysoberyl (narrower name (variety or subtype))
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 金绿宝石
- 繁體中文
- 金綠寶石
- English
- Chrysoberyl
- 日本語
- クリソベリル／金緑石
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Oxide minerals
- Identity tier
- Mineral species
- Mineral chemical class
- Oxides / hydroxides
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments listed by standards
The optimization and treatment entries for Chrysoberyl come from the table of principal gem names in the JJA/AGL (Japan) definitions and nomenclature, November 2025 revision: Chrysoberyl is recorded with the species chrysoberyl and the colours yellow, green and brown, and the JJA/AGL table lists an untreated tier. How to read the JJA/AGL table: see this site's Gem treatments page.
JJA/AGL (Japan) table of principal gem names, 2025
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Gem name | Species | Colour | Listed in the table | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysoberyl | Chrysoberyl | yellow, green, brown | an untreated tier is listed |
JJA/AGL definitions and nomenclature (2025 revision), table of principal gem names, p.11
How to read the JJA/AGL table: see the Gem treatments page.
What it is and how it's identified
The registered material facts for Chrysoberyl give the chemical composition BeAl2O4, possibly containing Fe, Cr, Ti and other elements; crystalline, orthorhombic, with a tabular or prismatic habit, and pseudo-hexagonal trillings also seen. Mohs hardness 8–8.5, with three imperfect cleavages; the site also notes that hardness alone is not enough to judge durability. Density 3.71–3.75 g/cm³, worked out from the cited clause's 3.73 with a stated tolerance of ±0.02. Optic character anisotropic, biaxial, optically positive; refractive index 1.74–1.759, worked out from the cited clause's 1.746–1.755 with a stated tolerance of +0.004, −0.006; birefringence 0.008–0.01. Transparency transparent, translucent. Untreated, pleochroism is trichroic, weak to moderate, in yellow, green and brown, and the lustre is vitreous to subadamantine. The UV-visible spectrum shows a strong 445nm absorption band, and in the infrared spectrum Be-O and Al-O vibrations produce characteristic absorption bands in the mid-infrared region. The optical effect asterism is visible but very rare.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Definition
Chrysoberyl — nomenclature status: IMA status G: grandfathered (described before the IMA existed, and generally regarded as a valid species).
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Chrysoberyl — composition (chemistry): BeAl2O4, elements such as Fe,Cr and Ti may be contained.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — composition (phase): chrysoberyl
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Structure
Chrysoberyl — structure (overall): crystalline
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — structure (crystal system): orthorhombic
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — structure (crystal habit): tabular or prismatic; pseudo-hexagonal trillings
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Durability
Chrysoberyl — Mohs hardness: 8–8.5
GB/T 16553—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- General note
- hardness only, not durability
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — cleavage: imperfect in three directions
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Physical properties
Chrysoberyl — density: 3.71–3.75 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 3.73, with a stated tolerance of ±0.02. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Optical
Chrysoberyl — optic character: biaxial, optically positive (anisotropic)
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — refractive index: 1.74–1.759
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.746–1.755, with a stated tolerance of +0.004 / -0.006. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — birefringence: 0.008–0.01
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — transparency: transparent, translucent.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Chrysoberyl — pleochroism: weak to moderate trichroism: yellow, green, brown.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — fluorescence (long-wave UV): none
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — fluorescence (short-wave UV): yellow, green-yellow: from none to yellow-green.
GB/T 16553—2017
UV fluorescence (short-wave UV)from none to: yellow-greenyellow, green-yellowDots are illustrative colours built from the colour names, not measured values
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — spectrum (UV-visible): 445 nm strong absorption band
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — spectrum (infrared): Be-O and Al-O vibrations give diagnostic bands in the mid-IR
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — optical effect (asterism): seen; very rare
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Chrysoberyl — magnification: gas-liquid inclusions, fingerprint-like inclusions, "silk" inclusions, twin striations.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
body colour2 sources compared
Chrysoberyl — body colour: Brownish yellow to green-yellow.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Peridot, Andalusite, Andradite and other entries also name yellow or a yellowish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Chrysoberyl — body colour: pale to medium yellow, yellow-green or grey-green, brown to yellow-brown; rarely pale blue.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
The colours GB/T 16553—2017 lists for Synthetic Chrysoberyl overlap with this entry: yellow, yellow-green, grey-green and brown to yellowish brown.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
How the sources relate
- CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 and GB/T 16553—2017
Both describe colours in the brownish yellow to green-yellow range. GB/T 16553—2017 also lists grey-green and notes that light blue is rare.
- CIBJO definitions
- asterism
Quality factors
Chrysoberyl — quality factor (lustre): vitreous to subadamantine
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.4 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.749 / 3.73; Closest values: 1Cobalt Spinel 1.723 / 3.63, 2Grossular 1.745 / 3.9, 3Malachite 1.782 / 3.67, 4Rhodolite 1.755 / 3.9, 5Benitoite 1.78 / 3.65
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Testing and market
The laboratory protocol in the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book (2024) of the CIBJO Blue Books requires irradiation and synthetics to be checked in particular for Chrysoberyl, and its note on testing methods states that the special optical effect is the cat's-eye effect, and that where a colour change is present the stone is an alexandrite cat's-eye; the colour determination covers cases where a colour change may be present. What each testing method means is set out in the protocol table on the laboratory testing page.
The tests the CIBJO laboratory protocol requires for this material, and what each method means, are in the protocol table on the laboratory testing page: §6.1.18.
How far testing can go
Chrysoberyl — what the CIBJO laboratory protocol says to watch for: irradiation, synthetics
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Chrysoberyl — notes on test methods in the CIBJO laboratory protocol:
| Test method | What the protocol notes for it |
|---|---|
| Phenomena: | cat’s-eye; colour change (alexandrite cat’s-eye); |
| Colour call: | In case of potential colour change |
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- any treatment state
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Chrysoberyl is listed in the clause-level definitions of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 under the term Chrysoberyl, defined as mineral species chrysoberyl, IMA status G, with a note that the CIBJO wording is quoted in full under Clause-level definitions on this page; the cross-check result is a direct CIBJO definition, also present in the GB/T annex. The CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 also lists the term Vanadium chrysoberyl, defined as green, bluish green, transparent; the cross-check result is a direct CIBJO definition, with no identically named English entry found in this edition of the GB/T annex. Chrysoberyl is also listed as an IMA Mineral List entry, recorded as Chrysoberyl, formula BeAl2O4, IMA status G, and cross-checked against the RRUFF/IMA master mineral list, using public domain data.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysoberyl | 7.2.1.56 | Brownish yellow to green-yellow; transparent, translucent; see also gem varieties alexandrite, cat’s eye chrysoberyl and vanadium chrysoberyl | Defined directly by CIBJO; also present in the GB/T annex. |
| Vanadium chrysoberyl | 7.2.1.254 | green, bluish green, transparent | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
| Chrysoberyl | IMA Mineral List entry | Chrysoberyl BeAl2O4 G 1789 | Cross-checked against the RRUFF/IMA master mineral list (public domain data). |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. Gemmological Laboratories Book (Blue Book), Gemmological Commission 2024-1.
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. The Gemstone Book (Blue Book), 2022.
- SAMR / SAC (China). GB/T 16552—2017 Gems — Nomenclature.
- RRUFF Project, in partnership with the IMA – International Mineralogical Association. IMA Mineral List.
- Geological Survey of Japan, AIST (Japan). Museum mineral specimens, browse by classification.
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
Related-entry tree for Chrysoberyl on this site: 2 entries listed by this site's parent-entry links; synthetic, treated and similar entries carry their recorded state after the name; this page (Chrysoberyl) is marked.
- Chrysoberyl
Sub-entries (1)
- Synthetic Chrysoberyl (Synthetic product)
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Oxide minerals | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Chrysoberyl entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.