Lab Wakefieldite Facet Rough and Specimens aka Yttrium Orthovanadate Nd:YVo4

These are Yttrium Orthovanadate, aka lab-grown wakefieldite.  This is an unusual crystal grown for use in lasers, and it comes in a range of colors depending on the level of neodymium added in.  WE have it in pink, blue to blue-green, yellow, orange and some bicolors.  Note that the purples show a dramatic color change to green under fluorescent lighting! YVO4 is best known for its role in some very specialized lasers.  Like the more usual Nd:YAG it is a powerful lasing medium, but it has puts off a different wavelength and has other properties that make it preferable in some contexts.  Nanoparticles of medical-grade YVO4 have also shown promise as a treatment for wounds, promoting healing and reducing scar formation, and potentially even for general longevity, though the research is still in very early stages. As a gem it is a challenging cut, difficult to polish with a relatively low hardness of 5 (same as apatite and some glasses) and two directions of perfect cleavage.  However the