Fascinating History of Raw Alexandrite
Alexandrite is a rare gemstone known for its mesmerizing color-changing abilities. For example, it can change from blue to red when placed under different lighting. Gem enthusiasts often describe Alexandrite as an ’emerald by day, ruby by night because of its rare color-change variety.
Its magnetic properties and being extremely rare makes the natural Alexandrite among the most valuable gems in the mineral kingdom.
Raw Alexandrite shares the same prestige with other precious stones such as emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. If you are lucky to have seen one, you know Alexandrite is genuinely a spectacular gemstone.
Let’s look at the fascinating history of raw Alexandrite, its origin, unique features, uses, and how you can distinguish natural Alexandrite from synthetic one.
Fascinating History of Alexandrite and Its Origin
Raw Alexandrite was initially discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in the 1830s. Today, this rare gemstone is also found in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Tanzania, Myanmar, India, and Brazil. The mineralogist Nordenskiold discovered the exceptional color-changing stone near the Tokovaya River in the Ural Mountains. The precious stone caught the country’s attention because of its red and green colors, which mirrored imperial Russia’s military colors.
The precious stones were named after the then-future Czar of Russia, Alexander II. In 1830 when the never seen color-changing gem was discovered, Alexander II was still young, 1818-1881. The first alexandrites found in the Ural Mountains were very fine and high quality, and they displayed fascinating hues and spectacular color changes. However, the gem did not last forever. Today Alexandrite comes from Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Tanzania.
The newer alexandrite deposits still possess fine-quality stones, but few matches the color quality change and hues of the 19th century Ural Mountains alexandrite. This has made the Ural Mountains’ Alexandrite remain the quality standard for this precious stone up-to-date.
Alexandrite Unique Features
Raw Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl gemstones, a hard, challenging, durable, precious gem. Here are some unique features of the natural Raw Alexandrite:
Properties:
• Mineral class: chrysoberyl
• Chemical name: Beryllium aluminum oxide
• Colors: brown, green, yellow, multicolor
• Hardness: 8.5 on the Mohs scale
• Transparency: transparent to opaque
• Refractive index: 1.746-1.755
• Luster: vitreous
Color: Alexandrite exhibits emerald green during the day and purple-reddish under lighting. Some alexandrite can also display yellowish or pink colors. There is also a rare type of Alexandrite that will exhibit a chatoyancy effect when cut.
The “alexandrite effect,” or the color-changing phenomenon seen in Alexandrite, is ascribed to the complex way the mineral absorbs light. The chromium content in Alexandrite displaces the transmission of green and red right equally, making it change colors when placed under different light sources or viewed from different angles.
Clarity and Cut: Clarity is essential when grading raw Alexandrite. A high clarity rating increases the value of the gemstone. It is worth noting that a natural raw alexandrite or a naturally occurring alexandrite is not clean and is best suited for cabbing. Nonetheless, the ability of Alexandrite to change color has a significant effect on its value than clarity.
Its magnetic properties and being extremely rare makes the natural Alexandrite among the most valuable gems in the mineral kingdom.
In its raw form, Alexandrite’s appearance can range from transparent to opaque but once cut and polished; it exhibits glass-like brightness. Alexandrite is traditionally fashioned in common shapes such as oval, round, and pear cuts. You will rarely find Alexandrite in large sizes, often in 1 carat. Alexandrite weighing more than three carats is highly extreme and therefore highly valuable.
Care and Cleaning: Alexandrite is durable, with a rating of 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. With such hardness, Alexandrite is hard enough to resist accidental hits. You can clean Alexandrite using warm water and dish soap. Steam and ultrasonic cleaners are also safe to clean Alexandrite. It is recommended to clean fractured-filled Alexandrite with warm soapy water.
Uses of Alexandrite
• Since its discovery, the rare and expensive gem is believed to have some healing powers. In fact, it is believed wearing a raw alexandrite necklace absorbs negative energy and releases positivity and powerful vibes. It balances the interactions between the physical and spiritual world.
• The color-switching abilities of Alexandrite remind us of the significance of maintaining balance and being open to our emotions. Because of this color-changing feature, many consider Alexandrite a stone of fortune and luck.
• Because of its usefulness in promoting our emotional well-being, Alexandrite is considered vital for people undergoing emotional turmoil.
How to distinguish natural Alexandrite from synthetic Alexandrite
• The global popularity and scarcity of Alexandrite make synthetic Alexandrite rampant in the market. However, you can tell a natural alexandrite from a lab one by how it changes colors under light. In most cases, a natural alexandrite will turn from green to purple. If it turns from green to red, chances are it’s synthetic.
• You can also consider a reflective index to distinguish between a natural alexandrite from a stimulant. The natural alexandrite refractive index range is 1.746-1.755.
• Most natural Alexandrite is less than a carat, so if it weighs more and has no inclusions, it is most likely a lab-grown Alexandrite or an imitator.
Raw Alexandrite shares the same prestige with other precious stones such as emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. If you are lucky to have seen one, you know Alexandrite is genuinely a spectacular gemstone.
Note: Synthetic Alexandrite presents you with a vital alternative to this rare gemstone and still possesses the ability to change colors.
Our Final Thoughts
Alexandrite is one of the rarest and most expensive gemstones, actually almost the same as diamond. Its scarcity and high demand provide a good market for the lab-made Alexandrite, which was introduced in 1971 and had almost similar features to the raw Alexandrite. It is worth noting besides the inherent green color exhibited by all-natural Alexandrite, a sizeable clean alexandrite is rare and extremely expensive. Therefore, such Alexandrite is likely to be synthetic or a simulant.
When looking to buy alexandrite gemstone, we recommend first considering whether you need a natural alexandrite, a synthetic (a lab blend alexandrite, almost similar to raw Alexandrite), or a simulant (artificial gemstone replicating real Alexandrite). The next step is to find a reliable gemstone seller who can deliver what you desire.
Our goal is to make sure we present you with essential information to help you make an informed decision. However, we recommend that you do additional research to ensure you get what’s your worth.
