A collector’s stone only in times past, Diopside has entered the modern gem market of today, its deep green color rivaling that of the much costlier emerald. The stone has one drawback preventing it from becoming emerald’s rival, however—a low hardness level that makes it easy to scratch. Diopside also resembles Tsavorite and Green Chrome Tourmaline.
Its name is taken from the Greek word that means ‘double appearance’, relating to its crystal shape. The Greeks believed that Diopside was originally a star which, having fallen to the earth, became a crystal stone afterward—the glow of the stone was believed to hold starlight itself.