 |  | The debate continues as to which origin produces the finest, most eye-pleasing natural mined Alexandrites. Once mined only in Russia, and while Russia has long been thought of as "the place" for Alexandrites, we know from experience that the quality of the specimen is what matters, not the origin. Some Russian specimens are unattractive, just as are some stones from other origins. For generations, any material that wasn't Russian mined was considered inferior, then the Brazilian find of the 1980's shook the gem world with its high quality and brilliant color change from a striking bluish green to magenta (vivid purple red), with a find in India following about 10 years later. The Brazilian material is generally of better color change quality than the later discovered India & Tanzanian material. So again, it is mainly the color of the specimen, rather than the actual origin, which defines the quality. Where some prefer Brazilian for Clarity and Color Change. Although the optimal color change in an alexandrite would be from a brilliant emerald green to a ruby-like red, gemological experts agree that contrary to what many people believe, there are very few alexandrites which change color to a true ruby red under everyday household lighting! | | | |
|  | | There is a wide range of lovely colors to be seen in these amazing stones and the few that do change from deep green to burgundy under regular light bulbs are often dark in tone, opaque or highly included, so that many consider them unattractive. Very few exhibit a green to burgundy/red change without those drawbacks, so don't automatically assume you are getting a lower quality alexandrite if the color change doesn't go to ruby red. It is important to note that the old saying "emerald by day, ruby by night" was coined in the days when candlelight or firelight were the only sources of nightime lighting available. The miners who discovered the old original Russian alexandrite material thought they had uncovered a new emerald vein, but when they viewed their material by firelight after the long work day, they were astonished to see reddish tones! By the light of a candle or flame most alexandrites will exhibit considerable reddish tones, but not under today's bright or "soft white" household bulbs! Fine alexandrites normally show shades of blue/violet by the light of regular incandescent bulbs or in the shade, while remaining mostly green under mixed incandescent and sunlight, or incandescent and fluorescent lighting. Furthermore, if the light source is too bright, whether incandescent or not, a hint of green will almost always be present. | | | |
|  | | Also, it is scientifically proven that some people's eyes see the color change differently from others. It's true! It is by candlelight or firelight that the most dramatic color change from green to reddish purple will be seen. What you should look for in a quality natural mined alexandrite is a teal, emerald or forest green under natural daylight or fluorescent lighting, sometimes changing to a muted, soft amethyst purple under regular incandescent bulbs, but more often a slightly grayish, blue violet/purple is seen, resembling a tanzanite or a purple sapphire much more than a ruby. The color will usually deepen to plum by very low light. Dim the lights altogether and pink, red or lovely magenta highlights will be evident by the light of a candle or flashlight, which is the true test of color change and a gemologist grading an alexandrite will not be able to see the full and complete color change unless they take the time to do this. Under brighter incandescent lighting, lovely bluish hues are seen in many specimens ranging from sky to sapphire, depending on the depth of color in the stone. Of one thing you can be sure ~ every alexandrite is an individual and it is rare to find two that display exactly the same colors under a variety of lighting conditions. This is an attractive characteristic of the gem which makes it all the more endearing to collectors. Even though "seeing the purple" seems to be important to buyers, many of us think the gorgeous emerald like green of a fine alexandrite is the most beautiful shade! Remember, green must be the dominant daytime color in a natural alexandrite! An alexandrite with excellent clarity will often show a less dramatic color change than one which has at least a few inclusions, or "silk". Many people are very satisfied with a milder color change in favor of better clarity. Likewise, there are a few people to whom a deep color change is so important that they will pass up a near flawless Alexandrite again and again if the dramatic color change isn't present. Like fine art, this is subjective and comes down to what the individual buyer prefers. Do not expect natural alexandrites to exhibit the same brilliance as diamonds or simulated alexandrite, as they have a different crystal structure and refractive index.
Sometimes buyers have an opinion of what their "ideal" alexandrite should look like, often from having seen only lab-created stones, which leads to disappointment when they actually see a natural stone. Classified by the Gemological Institute of America as a Type 2 gemstone, even the best alexandrite specimens are expected to contain loupe visible inclusions and clarity as well as cut should be a secondary consideration when purchasing an alexandrite. "Color over clarity" is a good rule of thumb, but be flexible as again, the stones with better clarity will generally show a less dramatic change. Alexandrite is by density a rather heavy stone, therefore it will normally appear smaller in size than a diamond of the same carat weight. A tough stone of 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, it is resistant and safe when using ultrasonic and other cleaning methods, making it an excellent choice for an everyday ring or favorite piece of jewelry. Its durability ensures that even moderately included specimens can be safely worn as jewelry with little or no danger of breakage. So wear your natural alexandrite with pride, knowing you can enjoy a rare gemstone that was once possessed by only a few in the Russian royal family!
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