The facts
What cyprine actually is
The species behind cyprine is vesuvianite (trade usage) — note the IMA species cyprine is a different, red mineral, Ca₁₀Mg₂Al₄(SiO₄)₅(Si₂O₇)₂(OH)₄ with Cu; it forms in the tetragonal system.
Copper substituting in the vesuvianite structure, giving sky-blue to turquoise is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a refractive index of 1.700–1.725 and a specific gravity of about 3.32–3.45, with indistinct cleavage.
Where cyprine comes from
Commercial material comes from Tvedalen and Sandefjord, Telemark/Vestfold, Norway.
That is the whole list. A single source makes supply fragile and makes any claim of a second origin worth questioning.
How cyprine is treated
Untreated. A naming trap worth flagging: the trade's cyprine is the blue Cu-bearing vesuvianite from Norway, while the IMA species formally named cyprine, approved in 2017 from the Wessels Mine in South Africa, is dark red with a lilac hue. The two are not the same material and certificates should say which is meant.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What cyprine is confused with
Watch for Blue apatite, Turquoise, Amazonite, Hemimorphite and Vesuvianite — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.700–1.725 and specific gravity 3.32–3.45 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What cyprine is used for
The trades that buy cyprine are mineral collecting, carving and sculpture and jewellery. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the specimen, by the block or by the carat.
Durability and care
Cyprine is 6–7 on the Mohs scale, with indistinct cleavage.
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 cyprine costs
Expect roughly $5–100/ct, depending on quality.
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 cyprine treated, and how?
Untreated. A naming trap worth flagging: the trade's cyprine is the blue Cu-bearing vesuvianite from Norway, while the IMA species formally named cyprine, approved in 2017 from the Wessels Mine in South Africa, is dark red with a lilac hue. The two are not the same material and certificates should say which is meant.
Where does cyprine come from?
Tvedalen and Sandefjord, Telemark/Vestfold, Norway. That is the only commercial source.
Is cyprine hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6–7 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 cyprine cost?
Indicatively $5–100/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 cyprine confused with?
Most often Blue apatite, Turquoise, Amazonite, Hemimorphite and Vesuvianite. A refractive index of 1.700–1.725 and a specific gravity near 3.32–3.45 separate it quickly.
What is cyprine used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting and carving and sculpture. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for cyprine?
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 cyprine