Some crystals of diopside contain enough chromium to give them a rich green color. These can be cut into beautiful faceted stones, beads, and cabochons. The appearance of these stones is best when they are under two carats because the material is often dark or strongly saturated.

Chrome diopside is occasionally seen in commercial jewelry. It has a rich green color that enables it to serve as an alternative gem for emerald at a significantly lower price. Diopside is rarely treated, unlike emerald which is often treated with various materials to seal and hide fractures.

Chrome Diopside Beads: Rondelle-shaped beads cut from bright green chrome diopside mined in Russia. The beads range in size between 3 and 5 millimeters in diameter.

One problem with chrome diopside is its durability. It has two directions of perfect cleavage and a Mohs hardness of only 5.5 to 6.5. This gives it a risk of being scratched or broken. The gem is best used in earrings, necklaces, brooches, and other items that will not be subjected to abrasion or impact.

Even though chrome diopside is very attractive, there are barriers to it becoming a popular gem that is widely seen in jewelry. First are the durability concerns described above; second is that the jewelry-buying public is not familiar with diopside; and, third is the fact that a reliable supply of commercial stones in calibrated sizes has not been developed.