Kyanite is an unusual and rare gem. Its hardness varies from 4 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale.
Kyanite deposits can be found in many locations around the world. Some of the key sources include Burma, Cambodia, India, Kenya, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Serbia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Nepal is now widely regarded as one of the finest Kyanite source with the most desirable gorgeous blue colors rivaling that of sapphire. Less common are the colors of yellow, green and orange.
Transparent is the most desirable and is typically faceted and translucent stones will more likely be cabochon cuts........but keep in mind that nearly all stones will have some visible flow or variation in color.
Above image shows a cabochon cut of Himalayan Kyanite
Above image is a faceted cut of Himalayan Kyanite