Many people are curious about the color of alexandrite gemstones. Are they supposed to be red, green, or purple?
The answer is… all of the above!
It depends on the light conditions and what you are looking at it under. In natural sunlight, alexandrite gemstones will appear to be green, similar to an emerald.
However, in artificial light or candlelight, they will color change to a red, purple or grayish combination hue.
So, what is the “correct” color for alexandrite and how would I know if what I am buying is the real deal and not a simulated stone?
Let’s take a closer look at this unique gemstone and find out!
Table of Contents
What Alexandrite Is and Where It Comes From
Alexandrite is a color-changing chrysoberyl and it is considered to be one of the rarest gemstones in the world.
According to the Gemologist Institute of America (GIA), alexandrite’s best dual colors are a vivid grass green in the daylight and in fluorescent light, changing to an intense raspberry red in incandescent light.
It is said “emerald by day, ruby by night” although there are many variations of color changes that are unique to each stone.
Alexandrite is the month of June’s birthstone and is also the 55th wedding anniversary gemstone.
In terms of rarity, Alexandrite outranks nearly all other known gemstones and most quality alexandrites are not readily available anywhere.
This is not to say that they cannot be found at all, it is to say that when you do find one, it will be small, expensive and can take years to locate.
The more apparent the color change, the more valuable the alexandrite, regardless of which colors that show up during the color change.
Alexandrites do come from many parts of the world, contrary to popular opinion. Russia is not the only country that has produced a fair share of them.
According to experts, color change Alexandrite can be best described as: any color change (not shift) that produces a main hue in daylight that differs from that seen in incandescent light.
Alexandrite is a chromium bearing color change Chrysoberyl.
Where Does Alexandrite Come From?
The earliest documented connection to the discovery of alexandrite in Russia came from the Russian Imperial Mineralogical Society. It is said that the origin and discovery was in 1830 by miners in the Ural Mountains of Russia.
The word “miners” means that a particular person was not given credit for its discovery.
Instead, Tsar Alexander II, who was the emperor of Russia at that time, took credit for the discovery by coming up with a stupid story about finding one on his 16th birthday.
Yeah, right.
However, to muck things up a bit, the fact that Chrysoberyl (which the mineral alexandrite falls under) had already been discovered prior to 1830 only led to arguments about the “who, when and what” once the color change properties were finally realized.
Alexandrites come from many different countries besides Russia. Here are a few:
- Madagascar.
- India.
- Sri Lanka. (Ceylon)
- Tanzania.
- Brazil.
Each of these countries have produced alexandrites, but the most dramatic color change comes from Brazil.
While they all can have hues that are similar to each other, the amount of change in color is what causes the value to stand apart.
It takes an expert gemologist to be able to distinguish between the different tones and hues in order to determine their origin with certainty to be able to document and authenticate each stone.
While Russia is flouted as being the homeland of alexandrites, this simply is not true.
Brazilian alexandrite is exorbitantly priced due to the color change that goes from bluish-green to a deep rich purple.
These will far exceed diamond carat prices.
Mines are quickly depleted within a few months and this creates a steady decline in quality production, resulting in treating the stones to enhance color or clarity.
It is rare to find an earth mined alexandrite, but it is rarer to find one that is not treated in any way.
Factors That Affect The Color of Alexandrite
It should be said that most alexandrites have modifiers and seldom have pure changes that are limited to only one hue.
If you are in a combination of lighting, any movement can produce a different hue the moment the angle of light is changed.
If you notice, gem identification reports never limit themselves to just one color when describing the color shift under white daylight and incandescent light (yellow).
Location/Origin and Lighting Source
The factors that affect the color of alexandrites are determined by the origin and mine location that they are found, along with the way the stones are cut to transmit light.
Keeping in mind that the lightbulb was not invented until several decades after alexandrites were found, candles may have been used to discover the color change since they give off yellow light rather than natural daylight white.
Chromium Purity
The change in colors are due to the impure parts of chromium that are included in the atomic structure of alexandrite.
These get absorbed in the visible light spectrum under the yellow section’s band known as yellow light.
The stone throws around blue, red, and green light which will change in varying amounts due to the type of light source.
Because we are limited in scientific methods, the best we can do to explain the color change is by chemical composition, light phenomenon and the effects of sensitivities to each naked eye at any given time under any given light source.
The Different Colors Real Alexandrite Can Be
Here are just some common examples of color changes that you will find with authentic alexandrite:
- Bluish Green to Purple
- Green to Grayish-Purple
- Green Blue to Purplish Red
- Yellowish-Green to Brownish Purple
- Green to Purplish Pink
And on it goes. Notice that the “ish” is included to cover the multitude of possibilities that each eye will see when the colors change according to light variances.
How To Tell if Alexandrite is Fake
Because of alexandrites rarity, there is quite a lot of incentive to create fake versions of these stones. The best way to tell if alexandrite is fake is by its price.
If the stone is offered at an extraordinarily low price, chances are it is not authentic.
Other ways to tell if alexandrite is fake include:
Size of Alexandrite
Take a look at size. A real alexandrite is not likely to be even a carat in weight, although it is possible. For everyday shopping, be wary if you find alexandrite near or larger than 1 carat.
Price of Alexandrite
If an alexandrite is costing less than a diamond of the same size (or even much bigger) then it is likely fake.
Plain and simple, this gemstone is probably the rarest of gemstones and the price is going to reflect this fact.
If you are looking at a 2 carat alexandrite and the asking price for it is $2500, then it is FAKE.
Alexandrite Color
Synthetic color change corundum (sapphires) tend to be a substitute for a real alexandrite in that they will change color from a blue-purple to a purple-pink.
They never show any green which is the color that you should always see in alexandrite in natural daylight or fluorescent lighting.
Lacking Imperfections
If you find an alexandrite that is perfectly “clean” that is, has great clarity and is affordable, it is likely fake.
There are other telltale signs that someone is trying to substitute a sapphire for an alexandrite, but you would have to know exactly what you are looking for when you look at the stone under a microscope.
So you can see that if all else fails, you simply must get absolute proof that the alexandrite that you are considering buying is the real deal.
The best way to determine this is to ask the jewelry store for a Certified Gemologist to examine and grade it…especially for treatment.
Lacking that, do not believe it without documentation.
FAQ’s About Alexandrite Color
What is the best color for alexandrite?
Probably the most desirable color, although not necessarily the most valuable, is going to be Blue-Green to Purple-Red.
What color alexandrite is more valuable?
The value of alexandrite is not so much the colors themselves, but how dramatically the colors can change. If the colors change sharply rather than just to a subtle hue, then it is deemed to have higher value.
Does fake alexandrite change color?
Fake alexandrite does change colors. In natural daylight as well as in incandescent light, it will change from purples to pinks, reds and everything in between at any given time.
However, the telltale that it is fake is that there is no green hue in natural daylight.
You will want to make sure that the alexandrite that you are considering looks more like an emerald in natural light. Then it will change colors once you get the stone into a candle or incandescent light.
Is alexandrite purple or pink?
Alexandrite can be both purple and pink in incandescent lighting. But it must always start off green in natural sunlight or fluorescent lighting.
If it is not green in natural light, then it is likely fake.
Is alexandrite more expensive than diamond?
An alexandrite of the same size as a diamond will be much more expensive. This is due to its rarity and the fact that it is not mined in large quantities like diamonds are.
Final Thoughts
Alexandrite is one of the most beautiful and rare gemstones in existence. And because of its rarity, it is also one of the most expensive.
So, if you’re in the market for an alexandrite, it’s important to know what to look for to ensure that you’re getting the real deal.
It is no wonder that the jewelry peddlers of the world added some substitute gemstones to replace alexandrite for the birthstone of June.
It is simply very difficult to find any of it that is real.
If you do come across someone who claims that they have a real alexandrite, then you will need to have proof if they are wanting to sell it.
This proof must come from a Certified Graduate Gemologist who has examined and documented the authenticity of the stone.