22860000 22860000 (`@````````` 266 263 5 110185200 110185200 Text Box:   Alexandrite is very scarce: this is due to its chemical composition. It is basically a chrysoberyl, a mineral consisting of colorless or yellow transparent chrysoberyl, chrysoberyl cat’s eye and color-changing alexandrite (also in cat’s eye varieties). It differs from other chrysoberyls in that it not only contains iron and titanium, but also chromium as a major impurity. And it is this very element which accounts for the spectacular color change. Rarely, vanadium may also play a part. According to CIBJO nomenclature, only chrysoberyls displaying a distinct change of color may be termed alexandrite    Russia has remained the primary source of alexandrite since gems from the mines of the Urals became available on the market. When the Russian deposits were thought to have been exhausted, interest in the unique color miracle decreased - especially since alexandrites from other mines hardly ever displayed the coveted color change. But the situation changed dramatically in 1987, when alexandrites were discovered in a place called Hematite in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The Brazilian alexandrites showed both a distinctive color change and good clarity and color. Thus the somewhat dulled image of the miraculous stone received another boost. The color of the Brazilian stones is admittedly not as strong a green as that of Russian alexandrite, but the color change is clearly discernible. Today Hematite is one of the most important deposits of alexandrite in economic terms.   Occasionally alexandrite with chatoyancy is discovered there, an effect which has not yet been observed in Russian alexandrite. Alexandrites are also obtained from sources in Sri Lanka, but the hue of these stones compares less than favorably with that of the Uralian Alexandrites. They appear green in daylight and a brownish red in artificial light. The Tunduru area in southern Tanzania has also produced some outstanding specimens since the mid-1990s. Alexandrites are also found in India, Burma, Madagascar and Zimbabwe. Although this stone is still considered a rarity, specialized gemstone dealers do stock it, especially since improved trade relationships between Russia and the rest of the world have ensured a better supply of Russian Alexandrites to the market. Complete Alexandrite Story

Text Box: Alexandrite origin and Lore

Text Box: Alexandrite Facts ¨ Hardness: 8.5 ¨ Color: Changes from a soft shade of red to green ¨ Durability: Durable and tough ¨ Availability: Rare, stones above 1 carat are unusual ¨ Largest cut Alexandrite weighs 66 carats and is on display at the Smithsonian. ¨ Alexandrite is the primary birthstone for June ¨ Stone for the 15th and 55th wedding anniversaries ¨ The stronger the color change the rarer the stone. ¨ The first synthetic Alexandrite was made in 1973  

 

Text Box: Alexandrite Information

  This rare gemstone is named after the Russian tsar Alexander II (1818-1881), the very first crystals having been discovered in April 1834 in the emerald mines near the Tokovaya River in the Urals. The discovery was made on the day the future tsar came of age. Although alexandrite is a relatively young gemstone, it certainly has a noble history. Since it shows both red and green, the principal colors of old Imperial Russia, it inevitably became the national stone of tsarist Russia.

 

 

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