The stronger the dual colors are, the more valuable the stone becomes. It is also the extent of the color change. However, in terms of alexandrite, it’s not just the saturation, tone, or hue that affect the value. It goes without saying that the most unique and important attribute of an alexandrite is its color. As a rule of thumb, the higher the saturation of a colored stone, the higher the value. 4- Evaluating Alexandrite Color Alexandrite stone with excellent color change by Jupiter Gem LA. Remember that the stone’s distinct quality is always the color change. Second, you can go for a smaller one that exhibits a larger scale of color difference, compromising size for color change.
That way you have the size but not so much the magical Alexandrite Effect. If you want to purchase an alexandrite but are on a budget, there are two ways to go about it.įirst, you can purchase a heavier, larger alexandrite with less color change. Most alexandrite on the market doesn’t weigh more than 1 carat. The largest known Alexandrite originated in Sri Lanka and weighs about 65.7 carats. 3- Alexandrite Carat WeightĪs mentioned above, alexandrite is very rare since there are only limited deposits in the world.
This type of cut exhibits the alexandrite’s beautiful reflection of light coming from the cat’s eye effect. These contain brilliant cut crowns and step-cut pavilions.įor alexandrite with many flaws and inclusions, the cat’s eye cabochon makes for a good cut. They have to ensure that both colors of the stone will appear face up when illuminated.Īlexandrite is typically cut into shapes known as mixed cuts. 2- Evaluating Alexandrite CutĪs with any gemstone exhibiting pleochroism, alexandrite poses a challenge to cutters. While clarity is important, it takes second place to color. So, an alexandrite that has a 100 percent change from green to red is more valuable than an eye clean piece with only slight color change.
What makes these stones valuable is their ability to change color. It’s critical to evaluate the clarity of alexandrite to ensure that there are no visible inclusions in the stone.įor alexandrite gems, clarity matters less than the effect of its color (which we will discuss in detail below). Alexandrite 4Cs 1- Evaluating Alexandrite Clarity However, in artificial light, such as candle or lamplight, which emit less green and blue, the red color becomes more visible. Since the human eye is more sensitive to green light, our vision responds to the green spectrum more and sees the stone as green under daylight.
#ALEXANDRITE ENGAGEMENT RING FULL#
In daylight, the light is balanced, meaning the full spectrum of visible light is present. Rather than a chemical reaction in the chromium compound, it is the physiological reaction in the human vision that causes the perceived color to change. This occurs when the stone changes color from greenish to reddish. The stone’s visible color will vary depending on how it is perceived by the human eye in a phenomenon known as the Alexandrite Effect. This small hint of chromium allows alexandrite to reflect either green or red light. A tiny number of crystals in alexandrite is replaced by chromium ions and it is this feature that intensifies the absorption of yellow light. While normal yellow or green chrysoberyl absorbs little to no light, alexandrite tends to absorb light due to its crystalline structure. The chemistry of an alexandrite crystal is quite simple. Īlexandrite is the most popular member of the mineral family chrysoberyl, an aluminate of beryl. What Causes Alexandrite’s Color Changing Properties? Alexandrite ring viewed in daylight. They were highly valued because they had become very rare. Alexandrite deposits were found again in in Brazil, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Later on, deposits were found in Brazil and Sri Lanka, and as a result alexandrite grew popular globally. It had become one of the most prized gems amongst Russian royalty. Discovering that the stone had the special ability to change colors depending on the kind of illumination it was exposed to, green in sunlight and red in lamplight, the stone became the national stone of tsarist Russia whose military colors were green and red.Īround the end of the 1900’s, alexandrite deposits in Russia were almost exhausted, which made the stone rare and precious. Alexandrite History – A Rare StoneĪlexandrite was named after Tsar Alexander II of Russia, where it was first discovered in the Ural Mountains. Let’s take a look at what makes alexandrite an excellent jewelry choice in this guide to alexandrite.
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