Are alexandrites rare?

The natural alexandrite is recognized as an extremely rare and hard to find gemstone. Its distinguishing characteristic is the color change phenomenon, varying from a greenish blue in daylight to a reddish purple in incandescent light.

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What does real alexandrite look like?

Real alexandrite is a green color under sunlight or fluorescent light and changes to a red/purple color under incandescent light. Why does alexandrite represent June? History of The Chameleon Birthston. Alexandrite was discovered in 1830 in emerald mines located near Russia's Tokovaya River. June's birthstone officially received the name Alexandrite in 1839, due to their changing colors being the same as Old Imperial Russia's military colors.

Where can alexandrite stone be found?

Brazil, Sri Lanka, and East Africa are now the main sources for alexandrite, though these gems are not as vividly colored as the original Russian gemstones. Natural alexandrite gemstones are now rarer than diamonds. And another question, do all alexandrite stones change color? Not all color-change chrysoberyl is alexandrite, despite the assurances of sellers. If any other color-change combinations are observed, the stone should be identified as a color-change chrysoberyl. A classic alexandrite color change: Green in daylight to slightly purple Red in incandescent light.

Can alexandrite be blue?

Alexandrite is a rare, color-changing variety of chrysoberyl. In natural and fluorescent light, alexandrite can range from green to greenish blue, but under incandescent or candle light, it can appear purple to purplish red. Is alexandrite the same as mystic topaz? Alexandrite is a rare form of chrysoberyl that changes color under different types of light. Its color is produced from the chromium in the finest qualities. It is so rare that it is likely you may never see one outside a museum. Mystic topaz is a cheap topaz cover with a polymer that gives it a sort of rainbow look.

Correspondingly, how strong is alexandrite?

With a hardness of 8.5, alexandrite is a stone suited to everyday wear; only diamond, ruby, and sapphire are harder. Because of its long-lasting nature and extreme rarity, alexandrite is an exceptional choice for an engagement ring or legacy piece.