Alexandrite

Item Description

Alexandrite is the varietal name given to color change Chrysoberyl. The material is one of the most popular and valuable gems on the market. The very first Alexandrite crystals and gem came from Russia, and are valuable collectors stones today. The term "Alexandrite-type" color change is often used when a stone changes from a warmer hue i.e., pink to a cooler hue i.e., green or blue when expose to different light sources i.e., indoor lighting and sunlight. This color change is extremely rare and is only exhibited in a few gems around the world. In the 1980s, there was a discovery of some fine quality gem Alexandrite from the Girdlestone Farm in Zimbabwe. This "Oval Brilliant" cut stone came out of an old stash of gems from a recent collection acquisition and are some of the best Zimbabwean Alexandrite on the market in many years. The gem is only very slightly included, and exhibits a noteworthy and fairly strong color change as it shifts from a pastel blue-green hue in sunlight to a more of a soft lavender-silvery color in indoor lighting. It was VERY difficult to illustrate the color change, and it honestly shows a different hue in various temperature light sources. Top Alexandrite gems from contemporary localities can retail for a few thousand dollars per carat on the high end market, so a stone of this size and clarity is certainly a very worthwhile pickup for the starting bid.