Curious about my alexandrite

[Ciryl]

Ok so I'm currently stationed in Afghanistan and wanted to get an engagement ring made, so I went and picked the Diamonds, went to pick Alexandrite but he didn't have any in his shop because he explained to me it was rare. (I didn't know anything about it at the time other than it changed colors). So a Month later and I finally got the ring. When I saw it was green I thought something was wrong but he gave me the Lab test report with it proving it was real. (I now know its green as well) so I took it back to my tent and saw the color I expected (the blue-ish color) and started researching online. Found out they are green in sunlight, teal-ish in mixed light and supposedly purple/red in incandescent light. now when I look at it next to a lighter or my one light bulb I can sort of see purple but I still see the blue. it's not as dramatic as I saw on videos on youtube. but if I take a picture of it or view it on my camera phone its a nice purplish color. but not exactly the red I see in pictures online. Anyways I took some pictures of it and was curious if anyone can Verify it?
Thanks!

 

[Ciryl]

Sorry one last picture

 

[LD]

Can you post a clearer photo of the lab report please? It's not a lab I'm familiar with and I want to see it more clearly.

I'm not convinced that's an Alexandrite. It could be but without seeing more close ups and doing a bit more questioning of you, it's difficult to tell.

What I can tell you is that Alexandrite is one of the most mimicked stones ever! There are so many synthetics and simulants, because the stone is rare, that it really is a case of buyer beware. Unfortunately many of the dealers selling in Afghanistan to the armed forces are selling synthetics/simulants. Very few are getting bargains or the real thing. If you search this forum you'll see what I mean. Also, unfortunately, lab reports are often either (a) falsified or (b) from a "lab" that doesn't have the equipment to really test anything!

I wrote a very lengthy thread about how to tell if you have a real Alex and although that won't give you definitive proof it may help you to look for pointers! I'll try and find it and link to it for you.

I hope you're one of the lucky ones and have found an Alex.

 

[LD]

Here you go!

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/have-you-really-got-an-alexandrite-read-this-first.179784/#post-3267495#p3267495']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/have-you-really-got-an-alexandrite-read-this-first.179784/#post-3267495#p3267495[/URL]

 

[Ciryl]

Sorry it was around 4am when I posted that so I went to sleep soon after. Well, the thing is we have a few officers here who have bought gems and sent them back to the states to be tested. The ones that were lab tested here apparently checked out in US too. I just hope this one isn't a special case...I mean I used one of their Jewelers Loupes and couldn't find any of the inclusions that were described of some of the synthetics and the color chance I do see seems closer to the images of the real alexandrites in that photo. It's not a strong color change like some of the synthetics.

 

[Silverbackmp]

I think IGITL is ok as in not being a certificate mill. IGITL is very common in Afghanistan due to the whole AFPAK India link.

Your Alexanderite is probably Ok. The stuff you are probably seeing on you tube is probably the top 1% with 100% color change from emerald green to near ruby red. It is very expensive any where in the world.

Where are you at in Afghanistan?

 

[Ciryl]

Yeah I figured maybe the ones I was seeing online were the top ones in the world but not knowing enough about the gems and reading so much about synthetics being sold all the time I was worried haha.

I'm at a FOB near Qalat

 

[Silverbackmp]

Yuck, the South. If you we're in Kabul I could recommend a couple of dealers. If you buy anymore stones I would stick with pink spinel or peridot, both of which come from badakshan and could be Takijik, Afghan,or Pakistan in origin. Run, don't walk away from any ruby sold as untreated. It exists but is ver uncommon.

 

[Ciryl]

yeah I'm not in the best part of Afghanistan that's for sure. The gem guy at our bazaar gets all his gems from Kabul though and that's also where he had my jewelery made. Also, It seems like the most popular gem people are buying here is Emeralds. Is it easy to flip pink Spinel or peridot? (I probably won't be buying anymore stones since I Won't be here much longer but just curious)

 

[chrono]

The colour change is probably not strong and cut looks of commercial quality. Fine quality stones are an easier sell than poor quality gems. Emeralds are a trickier buy due to treatment type and level of treatment.