You just might feel a little like royalty if you choose a jewellery piece made with Alexandrite, the gem named after Russia’s 19th century Tsar Alexander II.
Alexandrite possesses unique characteristics in that its tint or colour continuously changes; thus, depending upon what you wear as well, the setting that you’re in, and, more particularly, the lighting situation surrounding you, the gem will take on different shades and tones. For numerous jewellery-owners, this fact alone makes Alexandrite an essential part of their jewellery collections!
Alexandrite History and Info
Originally found in Russia’s Ural Mountains, Alexandrite remains incredibly rare. In fact, Alexandrite wasn’t even known to modern man until the early 1900s. What a shame that antiquity never had the opportunity to get to know this incredible gem!
Today, Alexandrite has been found in other places around the globe, including Brazil and Sri Lanka. However, it still is far from being abundant (and some of the deposits are hardly usable from a jewellery point of view), so collectors need to take this into consideration when budgeting for Alexandrite jewellery, which can get a little expensive because of this rarity factor.
One of Alexandrite’s most magical qualities is that fact that it never seems to stay the same colour! Depending on the shades around it as well as the time of day (e.g., natural sunlight versus man-made lighting), Alexandrite will literally change before the wearer’s eyes! Sometimes it seems green, other times it appears blue… or even deep red!
Alexandrite’s colour shifts aren’t magic; they are based on hard science. Different frequencies found within the various types of light make the stone’s colour change. This means if you head out for your lunch break, the Alexandrite gemstone in your ring will be one colour; but when you get back into the office you will see that it is very definitely another colour due to the change in light sources.
Alexandrite - and its two colours!
Folklore and Legend
Because Alexandrite hasn’t enjoyed a lengthy popularity due to its relatively recent unearthing, there aren’t many legends associated with it. One of the only ones is that because it was found on the day that the Tsar Alexander II came “of age”, it must be connected with royalty or prestige/power in some manner.
Additionally, some artistic types claim that wearing Alexandrite helps them be more creative. And since there’s really no way to gauge creativity, perhaps it has more than a grain of truth! After all, plenty of expert jewellers also swear by the stone and enjoy making it the showpiece of a variety of jewelry items.
Caring for Your Special Alexandrite Jewellery
Alexandrite is very, very hard (around 8.5 on the Mohs scale). This makes it easy to cut from a jeweller’s standpoint and even easier to care for. It would be very difficult to “nick” this gemstone, so if you tend to be hard on your jewelry, Alexandrite could be your ideal choice!
Is an Alexandrite Perfect for You?
Because Alexandrite isn’t widely known in most circles, you’ll probably be asked quite frequently, “What kind of stone is that?” So be prepared with a great answer if you decide that Alexandrite is going to be the centerpiece for your next bracelet, ring or necklace!
Sam Kritsotakis
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