Nd:YAP Pendants, Soviet Yttrium Aluminum Perovskite Jewelry

These are lab grown perovskite gems (specifically yttrium aluminum perovskite) set in 925 sterling silver.  These range in color from purple-pink to orange-red--each is unique and individually photographed.  

This is a very odd and rare laser crystal, yttrium aluminum perovskite (YAP).  It was grown in the 80s in the soviet union for use in lasers, but never caught on as an alternative to its better-known cousin yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG).  It has a denser crystal structure, higher hardness and greater brilliance than YAG, and best of all it has a rich orange-red color when cerium is added.  This color is also pleochroic, so when cut stones are oriented a particular way they can look very similar to imperial topaz, with a more pink-violet center and rich red-orange tips.  Overall in my opinion cut stones look even better and more lively than YAG which already cuts exceptional gems.

Under fluorescent lighting purple stones turn light grey-blue and orange-pink stones turn orange-yellow.

With a hardness of 8.5 it is ideal for use in all kinds of jewelry.