The facts
What chondrodite actually is
Chondrodite is classified as chondrodite (humite group), with the composition (Mg,Fe²⁺)₅(SiO₄)₂(F,OH)₂. It crystallises in the monoclinic system.
Colour comes from fe²⁺–Ti⁴⁺ charge transfer, the same mechanism as clinohumite, with iron content governing saturation, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.592–1.676. Specific gravity around 3.16–3.26. Cleavage: indistinct {100}, with parting on {001}. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where chondrodite comes from
Chondrodite is produced at Tilly Foster Mine, Brewster, Putnam County, New York, USA, Amity, Orange County, New York, USA, Mogok, Myanmar and Pargas, Finland.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How chondrodite is treated
Untreated. The deep garnet-red Tilly Foster crystals are the classic material and the mine has been closed for over a century, so good specimens are historic stock. Facetable transparent material is rare and usually small.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What chondrodite is confused with
In the trade chondrodite is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Clinohumite, Hessonite, Spessartine, Garnet or Sphene.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.592–1.676 and specific gravity 3.16–3.26 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What chondrodite is used for
Demand for chondrodite comes from mineral collecting and jewellery, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen or by the carat.
Durability and care
Hardness 6–6.5; cleavage indistinct {100}, with parting on {001}. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What chondrodite costs
As a guide, chondrodite trades around $100–1,000/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is chondrodite treated, and how?
Untreated. The deep garnet-red Tilly Foster crystals are the classic material and the mine has been closed for over a century, so good specimens are historic stock. Facetable transparent material is rare and usually small.
Where does chondrodite come from?
Tilly Foster Mine, Brewster, Putnam County, New York, USA, Amity, Orange County, New York, USA, Mogok, Myanmar and Pargas, Finland. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is chondrodite hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6–6.5 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does chondrodite cost?
Indicatively $100–1,000/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is chondrodite confused with?
Most often Clinohumite, Hessonite, Spessartine, Garnet and Sphene. A refractive index of 1.592–1.676 and a specific gravity near 3.16–3.26 separate it quickly.
Related stones
Looking for chondrodite?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about chondrodite