GEMSTONES

ALEXANDRITE

Alternate birthstone for June

The clue is in the angle from which you see the color

According to legend, alexandrite was discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia on the 12th birthday of Crown Prince Alexander, for whom it was named.  He was later Czar Alexander II. A color-change variety of chrysoberyl, it is prized for its change of shades of green in daylight, to shades of red in incandescent light. The stone’s rarity combined with its auspicious discovery date, made alexandrite a favorite among the Russian aristocracy. Today the Ural Mountains are no longer a major source; the most important sources now are Brazil, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Madagascar, and India.  Beware, because the stones from India are often oriented in the wrong direction:  To preserve weight from the original crystal, they cut them perpendicularly, so the intensity of color and the change of color is more beautiful looking through the girdle (side of the stone) rather than through table (top of the stone).  These stones will cost far less than their counterparts.  Very fine quality stones can cost from $5,000 to $10,000 or more per carat, depending upon size and the degree of color change.

Special Care Instructions:  normal care