Genuine Russian alexandrite jewelry is a rare find. The gemstone, beloved by Russian jewelers, was discovered in the Ural Mountains in the early 1830s and named for Alexander II. Although there are other sources of alexandrite, natural Russian alexandrite has the most distinct and spectacular color changes.
History
In April 1834, when the young tsar Alexander II was coming of age, alexandrite was discovered in an emerald mine near the Tokovaya River in the Urals. The royal colors of old imperial Russia were green and red, and the ability of alexandrite to change from a to burgundy made it the gemstone of choice for Russian nobility. It eventually became the gemstone of Imperial Russia. At the end of the 19th century and early into the 20th, George Frederick Kunz, gemologist for Tiffany & Co., world-renowned jeweler, fell in love with alexandrite and produced platinum sets and rings using the gemstone.
Alexandrite Composition and Features
The chemical composition of alexandrite is one of the reasons the gemstone is so rare. It is a form of chrysoberyl, a mineral which contains iron and titanium. When chromium (and rarely vanadium) are present in chrysoberyl, the color-changing properties of the alexandrite appear. Only chrysoberyl that displays distinct color changes from deep green in daylight to rich ruby red or violet-purple in incandescent light or candlelight can properly be called "alexandrite."
Russian Alexandrite
Russian alexandrite has dominated the market since its introduction because gemstones found in other mines rarely changed color as dramatically as those found in the Ural mines. Rumors of the Russian deposits being depleted saw a decreased interest in the gemstone. With improved trade relationships between Russia and the rest of the world, natural Russian alexandrites are now more readily available in the marketplace.
Other Alexandrite Sources
In 1987 a deposit of color-changing alexandrites was discovered in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The gemstones from this mine do not have as deep a green color as those found in Russia, but they do have clearly discernible color changes. Other sources of alexandrite are found in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Madagascar and Zimbabwe. Like those found in Brazil, the gemstones from these mines are not as spectacular nor as expensive as those mined in Russia.
Alexandrite Lore
Alexandrite jewelry is purported to cure problems with the pancreas and the spleen as well as many central nervous system disorders. It is considered a gemstone of good omen and also is reputed to increase the wearer's intuitive power, creativity and imagination in difficult situations.
Prices
Genuine natural Russian alexandrite is quite expensive. Because of the few sources of alexandrite before 1987, vintage jewelry is invariably assumed to be Russian in origin and nice pieces in excellent condition often sell for five figures. In the early 1990s Christie's auction house sold an Edwardian necklace, circa 1910, with a five-carat alexandrite for $65,000. Plain or modest alexandrite jewelry is usually sold for around $500. A simple vintage ring with a two-carat gemstone recently sold on Ebay for $900.
Tags: color changes, deep green, , sources alexandrite, those found