The Story of Alexandrite

Alexandrite is a rather rare and unusual gem. One of it's properties is that its color changes depending on the light. In daylight it will have a green or blue/green cast, in artificial light it will become red/orange or red/purple.

A very rare gem, alexandrite is composed of elements that do not normally occur near each other. Its in the chrysoberyl family, but includes beryllium and chromium in its structure. These elements are usually found in very different types of rock, therefore the are very rarely in the same area, much less the same crystal. The chromium is what gives the gem its color shifting characteristics and the lack of silicon is what keeps it from being an emerald. The result is a very rare gem. Fine specimens will be right up there with diamonds in price.

Deposits of Alexandrite have been found in areas outside of Russia: Brazil, India, and Africa. The African mines have produced some outstanding crystals and some of the Brazillian gems have different characteristics than the Russian gems.

Most of the Alexandrite jewelry available today is made with man made or created alexandrite.

The Story... 

The story of the discovery and naming of Alexandrite has been shrouded in mystery. Contradictory accounts abound – it was discovered in 1830, 1831, 1834, or some other unnamed year. According to a widely popular, but controversial story, the color changing variety of chrysoberyl, known as Alexandrite today, was discovered by the Finnish mineralogist Nils Gustaf Nordenskjold, (1792 -1866) on Alexander's sixteenth birthday, on April 17, 1834. It was named Alexandrite in honor of the future Tsar of the Russian Empire.

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The secret police, a so-called Third Department, ran a huge network of spies and informers. The government exercised censorship and other controls over education, publishing, and all manifestations of public life. Non-Russian nationalities and religions in particular were suppressed. And of course, naming the mineral after the Tsarevitch was a political act, which could not have possibly been the mineralogist’s initiative.

There was somebody else. Someone close to the Imperial Family, who could gain from flattering them and at the same time was passionate about minerals. The only person who met that criteria was Count Lev Alekseevich Perovskii (1792-1856). He was close to Nicholas I and was Vice-President of the Appanage Department between 1852 and 1856.

Perovskii contributed much to the development of the lapidary and mining industries in Russia and many new deposits were mined because of Perovskii's initiatives. But above all, Perovskii was an ardent collector and one of his passions was minerals and precious stones.

Although it was Nordenskjold who discovered alexandrite, he could not possibly have discovered and named it on Alexander’s birthday. Nordensljold’s initial discovery occurred as a result the examination of a newly found mineral sample he had received from Perovskii which he identified as emerald at first. Confused with the high hardness, he decided to continue his examinations.

Later that evening, while looking at the specimen under candlelight, he was surprised to see that the color of the stone had changed to raspberry-red instead of green. Later, he confirmed the discovery of a new variety of chrysoberyl, and suggested the name "diaphanite" (from the Greek "di" two and "aphanes", unseen or "phan," to appear, or show).

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Perovskii however had his own plans and used the rare specimen to ingratiate himself with the Imperial family by presenting it to the future Tzar and naming it Alexandrite in his honor on April 17, 1834

Full illustrated version of this chapter available online at: http://www.multicolour.com/alexandrite/chapter2/

About Multicolour Gems Ltd

Multicolour Gems Ltd is a major importer and processor of rough stones from East Africa and Madagascar. An online leader and wholesaler of precious and semiprecious gemstones, their website is located at www.multicolour.com.

Multicolour.com offers consumers a fast and easy way to buy gemstones at wholesale prices with complete confidence. Gemstones are selected and strictly graded according to GIA colored stone grading standards and 3rd party certification is available. The well designed website is easy to navigate and offers over 10,000 natural gemstones including an extensive selection of Alexandrites in a variety shapes, sizes, and price ranges. Multicolour Gems is located in Bangkok Thailand. The company can be reached by phone at 1-866-900-GEMS in USA.  Online now, over 300 carefully graded Alexandrite lots. http://www.multicolour.com/gemstones/alexandrite.html

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