The facts
What smaragdite actually is
The species behind smaragdite is amphibole group (variety), Ca₂(Mg,Fe,Cr)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂; it forms in the monoclinic aggregate system.
Cr³⁺ gives the grass to emerald green 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 1.62–1.66 and a specific gravity of about 3.24–3.50, with prismatic, visible as a fibrous sheen in cut material cleavage.
Where smaragdite comes from
Commercial material comes from Val d'Aosta, Italy and Saualpe, Carinthia, Austria.
Different localities give different colour and different clarity, and the trade prices them differently. We state which one.
How smaragdite is treated
Untreated; polished as part of the green-and-red eclogite ornamental rock. The older literature sometimes applied the name to green mica, so provenance matters.
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 smaragdite is confused with
Watch for Actinolite, Chrome tremolite, Nephrite and Fuchsite — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.62–1.66 and specific gravity 3.24–3.50 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What smaragdite is used for
The trades that buy smaragdite are mineral collecting, carving and sculpture and architecture and interiors. 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 square metre.
Durability and care
Hardness 5.5; cleavage prismatic, visible as a fibrous sheen in cut material. 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 smaragdite costs
Expect roughly Eclogite slabs 20–100 USD/kg, 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 smaragdite treated, and how?
Untreated; polished as part of the green-and-red eclogite ornamental rock. The older literature sometimes applied the name to green mica, so provenance matters.
Where does smaragdite come from?
Val d'Aosta, Italy and Saualpe, Carinthia, Austria. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is smaragdite hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 5.5 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 smaragdite cost?
Indicatively Eclogite slabs 20–100 USD/kg. 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 smaragdite confused with?
Most often Actinolite, Chrome tremolite, Nephrite and Fuchsite. A refractive index of 1.62–1.66 and a specific gravity near 3.24–3.50 separate it quickly.
What is smaragdite used for besides jewellery?
mineral collecting, carving and sculpture and architecture and interiors. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for smaragdite?
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 smaragdite