The stone forms deep beneath the earth under high pressure, and its most prized deposits lie in the remote wilderness of Siberia. Here, mining can take place only during a narrow window of the year when the frozen ground briefly softens. This short season, coupled with the harsh conditions and the difficulty of extracting unbroken large crystals, makes chrome diopside far rarer than many realise.

Cassandra since her earliest days as a gemmologist has been fascinated by the rare and extraordinary minerals created in the earth and the gemstones that can be cut from them. Undeterred by the challenges these rarer gemstones pose to her cutters and setters, she works with their unusual properties to make truly rare and in some cases, one-of-a-kind jewels.

Chrome diopside has long been linked to emotional balance and clarity, bringing a sense of grounded love and steady commitment to the wearer. Chrome diopside appears throughout her collections in designs such as Fleur de Lys, Talya and, most strikingly, Roi Soleil.

In the Roi Soleil design, chrome diopside takes on a new brilliance. Inspired by the firework displays enjoyed by Louis XIV at Versailles, the design brings together the warmth of yellow gold and the vivid green of the gemstone to create a look that feels both joyful and regal. That sparkle, however, is part of what makes this jewel so rare. Chrome diopside rarely occurs in large crystals, so finding sizeable stones that remain clear, bright and vivid in colour is exceptionally difficult. To create a large pendant that gleams with this level of brilliance requires stones that are genuinely uncommon.

Each chrome diopside rough crystal is chosen with great care before cutting. The richer the green, the rarer the stone, and finding the rough material that can be cut into a perfectly matched full set of tapered baguettes that match in colour and brightness can take some years. Larger designs make this even more challenging, as every stone must look beautiful on its own while also blending seamlessly with the others.

The craftsmanship is equally important. Chrome diopside has a natural sparkle and clarity, yet it needs a gentle hand during setting. Only skilled artisans can achieve the balance of precision and light that brings out the stone’s best qualities when it is being set. Every ray of the firework motif is shaped, polished and assembled by hand in Cassandra’s workshops. The finished jewel, with its diamonds set between each tapered baguette, is a celebration of colour and artistry.