Tin diselenide single crystals were grown by direct synthesis using the Bridgman technique and were subsequently purified by successive recrystallizations. An X-ray powder diffraction study verified that the crystals obtained belong to the D-3d(3)- space group with lattice parameters a = 0.3811 nm and c = 0.6137 nm. A stoichiometric analysis gave a maximum deviation of their nominal SnSe2 composition of similar to 4%. Study of their morphology by scanning electron microscopy reveals the layered-type structure of the obtained material. Finally, the microhardness parallel and perpendicular to the layer planes was found to be strongly anisotropic, as expected from the layered structure of SnSe2.