 |
Alexandrite 8.5Alexandrite changes from green to red, mauve or brown in incandescent light. There are many many synthetic alexandrites on the market. Natural alexandrite is very rare. Alexandrite is found in Brazil, Madagascar, Myanmar, Russia, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl that displays a color change (alexandrite effect) dependent upon light. Alexandrite results from small scale replacement of aluminium by chromium oxide, resulting in alexandrite's characteristic green to red color change. Alexandrite from the Ural Mountains in Russia is green by daylight and red by incandescent light. Other varieties of alexandrite are yellowish or pink in daylight and a columbine or raspberry red by incandescent light. The ideal color change is fine emerald green to fine purplish red. Because of their rarity and the color change capability, "ideal" alexandrite gems are some of the most rare and expensive in the world. |
