ALEXANDRITEGreen in sunlight. Red in lamplight. Color-changing alexandrite is nature's magic trick.
|
|
Alexandrite Description
Alexandrite, with its chameleon-like qualities, is a rare variety of the mineral chrysoberyl. Its color can be a lovely green in daylight or fluorescent light, changing to brownish or purplish red in the incandescent light from a lamp or candle flame. This is a result of the complex way the mineral absorbs light.
It is also a strongly pleochroic gem, which means it can show different colours when viewed from different directions. Typically, its three pleochroic color are green, orange, and purple-red. However, the striking color change doesn't arise from the gem's pleochroism, but rather from the mineral's unusual light-absorbing properties.
Because of its scarcity, especially in larger sizes, alexandrite is a relatively expensive member of the chrysoberyl family. It shares its status as a June birthstone with cultured pearl and moonstone.
It is also a strongly pleochroic gem, which means it can show different colours when viewed from different directions. Typically, its three pleochroic color are green, orange, and purple-red. However, the striking color change doesn't arise from the gem's pleochroism, but rather from the mineral's unusual light-absorbing properties.
Because of its scarcity, especially in larger sizes, alexandrite is a relatively expensive member of the chrysoberyl family. It shares its status as a June birthstone with cultured pearl and moonstone.
WHERE IS ALEXANDRITE FOUND
The spectacular Ural Mountain deposits were eventually mined out, and now most alexandrite comes from Brazil, Sri Lanka and East Africa. The newer deposits contain some fine-quality stones, but many display less-precise color change and muddier hues than the 19th century Russian alexandrite. Because of its scarcity, especially in larger sizes, fine-quality alexandrite is one of the more expensive coloured gems.
