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Alexandrite
The very first crystals of this rare gemstone were discovered in the emerald mines near the Tokovaya River in the Urals in April 1834. This discovery was made on the day the future tsar of Russia, Alexander II (1818 – 1881) came of age, and was consequently named after him. Click here to view Alexandrite Jewellery at Astley Clarke.
Alexandrite is a vivid green colour by daylight, but typically appears purplish-red in artificial light. The stones from the Urals have by far the most vivid colours. Because the stone shows both red and green, the principal colours of old Imperial Russia, it inevitably became the national stone of tsarist Russia.
This stone was immediately immensely popular with Russian jewellery designers and it can be found in antique Russian jewellery. It was also occasionally used in some Victorian jewellery in England. In modern fine jewellery, however, it is seldom used despite its beauty simply because it is so exceptionally rare.
Since the stones from the Urals became available on the market, Russia has remained the primary source of alexandrite. When these deposits had depleted substantially, interest in alexandrite waned, as although it was found elsewhere the stones were never as vivid as those from the first deposit in Russia. In 1987, alexandrite was discovered in Brazil which had distinctive colour, pleochroism and clarity. Today Hematita in Brazil is, economically speaking, one of the most important alexandrite deposits. Occasionally, alexandrite displaying chatoyancy (the cat’s eye phenomenon observed in chrysoberyl) is found there, which was never seen among the alexandrites in Russia. Alexandrite has since also been found in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
If it can be proved without a doubt that an alexandrite stone is from Russia, the stone is a real rarity and of huge value. Finely faceted alexandrites above one carat are thus among the most expensive gemstones in the world, even more so than fine ruby, sapphire or emerald.
Click here to view Contemporary Designer Jewellery at Astley Clarke
Alexandrite is a vivid green colour by daylight, but typically appears purplish-red in artificial light. The stones from the Urals have by far the most vivid colours. Because the stone shows both red and green, the principal colours of old Imperial Russia, it inevitably became the national stone of tsarist Russia.
This stone was immediately immensely popular with Russian jewellery designers and it can be found in antique Russian jewellery. It was also occasionally used in some Victorian jewellery in England. In modern fine jewellery, however, it is seldom used despite its beauty simply because it is so exceptionally rare.
Since the stones from the Urals became available on the market, Russia has remained the primary source of alexandrite. When these deposits had depleted substantially, interest in alexandrite waned, as although it was found elsewhere the stones were never as vivid as those from the first deposit in Russia. In 1987, alexandrite was discovered in Brazil which had distinctive colour, pleochroism and clarity. Today Hematita in Brazil is, economically speaking, one of the most important alexandrite deposits. Occasionally, alexandrite displaying chatoyancy (the cat’s eye phenomenon observed in chrysoberyl) is found there, which was never seen among the alexandrites in Russia. Alexandrite has since also been found in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.
If it can be proved without a doubt that an alexandrite stone is from Russia, the stone is a real rarity and of huge value. Finely faceted alexandrites above one carat are thus among the most expensive gemstones in the world, even more so than fine ruby, sapphire or emerald.
Click here to view Contemporary Designer Jewellery at Astley Clarke
