The uncommon chrysoberyl variation known as alexandrite changes color depending on the lighting. The most valuable alexandrite birthstones exhibit deep red to purple red under incandescent light and a brilliant green to bluish green under daylight or fluorescent light. In the Ural Mountains of Russia, significant amounts of alexandrite were first found in 1830. The young Alexander II (18181881), the presumptive heir to the throne, inspired the gem’s name. Alexandrite attracted the nation’s attention because its red and green hues matched those of imperial Russia’s national military uniform.
In this June birthstone, chatoyancy, or the cat’s-eye effect, can also occur when specific kinds of long, thin inclusions are positioned parallel to one another. As fascinating or beautiful as cat’s-eye alexandrite, few jewels compare.
In This Article...
What hue actually is alexandrite?
Chrysoberyl comes in a few different unusual varieties, including the chameleon-like alexandrite. In natural or fluorescent light, it can appear a gorgeous shade of green, but in the warm, incandescent light of a lamp or candle flame, it can turn brownish or purple red.
Alexandrite is either purple or blue.
The alexandrite effect describes the ability of this gem to change color depending on the type of light it is exposed to. Alexandrite can appear green to greenish blue in daylight and fluorescent lighting, but it can also appear purple to purplish red in incandescent or candlelight.
What color birthstone represents June?
Alexandrite with Pearl for June June’s birthstones are as distinctive as they come because she has two, Pearl & Alexandrite, as her birthstones. The Alexandrite is incredibly uncommon and capable of “color-changing,” appearing green in natural light and shifting to a purple-red hue in incandescent or artificial light.
What does the stone alexandrite stand for?
Alexandrite is a gemstone with variable colors that shifts from a deep aqua green to a magenta to a lavender eggplant purple. The gemstone of good fortune, wealth, and intelligence is alexandrite. It can help you find the balance of who you are by representing the harmony between the physical and the spiritual.
The gemstone alexandrite is quite recent. In the 1830s, it was discovered in Russia. Due to the stone’s rich green color and the fact that the miners were actively looking for emeralds at the time, they initially believed it to be one. They didn’t realize they had found a brand-new gemstone until the light shifted and the stone became purple. Because its red and green hues mirrored those of Imperial Russia, it was given the name “Alexandrite” in honor of Alexander the II, the Tzar of Russia.
Today, however, the majority of alexandrites are from Brazil, East Africa, and Sri Lanka. In a laboratory, alexandrites can also be grown.
Alexandrite can it be pink?
The Chrysoberyl mineral family includes the uncommon gemstone alexandrite. Its ability to change colors makes it desirable. This gemstone’s hue changes from bluish green to purple red when exposed to luminescent light, earning it the moniker “emerald by day, ruby by night.” Alexandrite is a traditional present for 55th wedding anniversaries and is also the birthstone for June.
The Alexandrite gemstone was discovered for the first time in the Russian Ural Mountains around the 1830s, and it was subsequently designated as the state jewel of Imperial Russia. Now, it can be found in East Africa, Brazil, and Sri Lanka. The exquisite variety of alexandrite is extremely rare and expensive. Because the color-changing property of alexandrite is difficult to replicate through artificial means, even the lab-grown versions are quite expensive. When cut into cabochons, a few rare examples of alexandrite display what is known as a cat’s eye, which can also shift the color to a yellowish or pink hue.
Who may wear alexandrite jewelry?
The Moh’s scale rates alexandrite’s hardness at 8.5, making it relatively durable and popular for use in jewelry creation. Making jewelry out of alexandrite is made more appealing by the material’s color-shifting property.
People who were born in the month of June are urged to wear alexandrite because it is the birthstone for that month.
Additionally, those who were born under the sign of Cancer might wear the stone to take advantage of its mystical qualities or simply wear it for fashion. Additionally, Alexandrite can be worn by those who were born under the signs of Virgo, Taurus, Gemini, and Leo.
Why are there three birthstones for June?
Why are there three birthstones for June? Some months have more than one birthstone because different historical stones have become extremely rare, making it less likely that they would be sold on the market and meet consumer demand.
Alexandrite: A sapphire or not?
These uncommon sapphires’ color variations are comparable to color combinations found in other gemstones like alexandrite. Since the color shift in synthetic color change sapphires is so strikingly similar to that of real alexandrite, these artificial counterparts are occasionally marketed under the names “alexandrium” and “synthetic alexandrite.” These nicknames may seem innocent at first, but they are actually highly deceptive. Despite having a similar appearance to alexandrite stones, synthetic color changing sapphires are not structurally similar to them. This is due to the fact that alexandrite is not a sapphire, which is a totally separate mineral, but rather a variant of the chrysoberyl mineral. As a result, this sapphire imitation is more akin to an alexandrite substitute.
Every sapphire variety has unique qualities, but if you’re looking for something truly unique, a color-changing sapphire can be the perfect choice. Another kind that is incredibly rare is star sapphire. The stunning star-like shape that these stones exhibit is mesmerizing. No matter which sapphire most appeals to you, it is crucial to conduct the appropriate research and ask all the essential questions before making a purchase.
Look through our selection of sapphire jewelry, and let us know which pieces you like best!
Does fake alexandrite exist?
Since it is far simpler to produce synthetic corundum and synthetic spinel with characteristics that resemble alexandrite, true synthetic alexandrite itself is a rare sight.
Synthetic spinel more closely resembles alexandrite due to its change from reddish to blue-greenish hues, whereas synthetic corundum changes from a purple that resembles amethyst under artificial light to a greyish-blue in daylight. (There are also real color-changing sapphire and garnet, which can both be deceiving; the former mimics alexandrite.)
Since every substance has different optical characteristics, the first thing to do is to determine the stone’s refractive index.
Alexandrite, a chrysoberyl, with a RI close to 1.746 (+/-.004) and 1.755 (+/-.005) and is doubly refractive. Corundum is likewise doubly refractive, although it has a higher RI, which is typically between 1.762 and 1.770; spinel’s RI is close to 1.73, however it fluctuates slightly depending on the color. Your RI determination should be assisted by a qualified gemologist.
There may be (rarely) no eye-visible inclusions in genuine alexandrites of roughly one carat, therefore this does not necessarily imply that the stone is not real.
A 10X or greater close-up examination is advised.
I possess a ring that has been passed down through the family. A jeweler in Florida informed me that it was an alexandrite. According to the material I’ve read about this alexandrite, its color shifts from green to red. My ring turns gorgeous purple from blue. It’s a VERY ancient ring. I’m having it evaluated. Could you provide me details about this ring?
Your description of a color change from blue to purple is typical of synthetic spinel that mimics alexandrite and has been used as an alexandrite imitator for a very long time.
If the stone has good color saturation, the color change in natural alexandrite is in fact from red to green, typically from a darker garnet-type red to a slightly bluish green.
The artificial corundum (sapphire), which has been available for more than a century and more nearly resembles the color of real alexandrite, is another common alexandrite imitator.
The gem alexandrite is incredibly rare.
More uncommon still are fine alexandrite gems weighing more than a carat.
The majority are at least somewhat included.
Your stone is almost probably artificial if it weighs more than a carat and has no inclusions.
After closely studying the stone under a microscope and performing a quick test of its optical characteristics known as a refractive index test, a gemologist will be able to answer your question with certainty.
What birthstone actually falls on June?
You are fortunate to have three birthstones to call your own if you were born in the month of June. Only three monthsJune, August, and Decemberhave three birthstones each, providing you a wide selection of lovely birthstones to choose from.
Moonstone, alexandrite, and pearl are the birthstones for June. Due to the variety of colors and price ranges these gems offer, people with June birthdays can find a birthstone that suits their mood or budget.
