Alexandrite

[TKC]

I have just received an Alexandrite today, the color is gorgeous. The glow, under 7 o''clock p.m. (just received it today, no time to take a look under daylight), looks like a bright paraiba blusih green (probably, I have never seen in person, only in pictures, Paraiba tourmaline), but I guess the actual color is kind of mossy green (as far as I can see from the dark area, again on the evening light). I am not sure yet the actual color under daylight (I will see it tomorrow). Is it possible for Alexandrite with the mossy green color can glow like a bright bluish green paraiba tourmaline color (may be look like bluish green emerald) with very little yellow flash (only on some facets, like 2 or 3 facets). The color changes to deep purple, but, when I look at it closely most of the pavilion facets show red flashes. Is it possible to recut it in order to show more red color (flashes) instead of deep purple? The depth on my Alex is quite deep. Therefore, I am guessing that by reducing the depth may reduce its color intensity or tone from deep purple to lighter purple because, I believe, the lesser of purple color intensity, the more red color will show. Any opinion from gem cutters? And, the actual color of the Alexandrite under incandescent light is deeper than the picture. It is really hard to capture the color of Alexandrite.

 

[TKC]

Here is under incandescent light

 

[diamondfan]

what are the specs? THAT STONE IS GORGEOUS!

 

[TKC]

Date: 7/21/2005 11:50:05 PM
Author: diamondfan
what are the specs? THAT STONE IS GORGEOUS!

The weight is 0.87 carat. The meas: 6.10 x 4.50 x 3.53 mm. I know it is a small stone. If it is recut, it will be smaller

 

[widget]

Hi, TKC! What a pretty stone!

I''m sure no expert...hopefully one will weigh in here soon.

I''m looking forward to hearing from you tomorrow after you''ve seen it in full daylight.

I have an alex too, and absolutely love "playing" with it in different lighting. I think looking at it in "mixed" lighting gives off the best color show of all!

I too have had a terrible time getting an accurate depiction of the "outdoors" color with a camera. My stone is definitely green when outside...with maybe just a hint of teal. In photgraphs, it looks much too blue. Indoors, mine is definitely "amethyst" looking.

I''ve never heard of an alex glowing/looking like a paraiba!

It sounds fabulous! Do you know its origin? Maybe that makes a difference....mine is from Brazil...

widget

 

[TKC]

Mine is, I believe, from Tanzania. It is a crystal clear Alexandrite. I think the glow is due to the cutting. I just see light purple color under poor incandescent light and also sometimes violet, too. I don''t know what the exact color is. The one on the picture is when it was photographed under my bathroom light (one bulb is 300 watt heat lamps, (1) 75 watt incandescent lamp). Again the color is a litte deeper than the picture.

 

[Sagebrush]

TKC,

Nice stone! I am a big fan of Tanzanian Alexandrite. They seem to me to have much better crystal than Brazilian stones often (like yours) quite clean as well. Oddly, the Brazillian now seem to be the standard in as much as the Ural Mountain gems hardly exist in the market. Historically the Ceylonese were more beautiful despite the reputation of the Russian.

 

[Michael_E]

TKC,
I would NOT recut that stone. The colors are caused by the type of light that is entering the stone and not by the cut at all. Recutting this would only cause it to lose weight and value. I would just enjoy it as is, since it is very nice already !

 

[TKC]

Date: 7/22/2005 1:19:45 PM
Author: Michael_E
TKC,
I would NOT recut that stone. The colors are caused by the type of light that is entering the stone and not by the cut at all. Recutting this would only cause it to lose weight and value. I would just enjoy it as is, since it is very nice already !

Thanks Richard for your prise and everyone who gives comments
Hi Michael, I will take your advice not to recut my stone. Once again, thank you for your advice and information.
I did not have time to take pictures of the Alex today. The color under daylight is a little bit greener and less mossy green color dark area. The bright color is now nearly everywhere especially on both sides (on the picture only in one side). I think daylight and evening sunlight are different

even though these days, at seven o'' clock the sun is still "up". On evening my Alex shows bluish green as pictured. I hope the sun like the evening sun everyday

because I like the touch of more blue on my Alex.