!!!! Alexandrite !!!!

[conitta]

Here is my latest gemstone purchase. It is a .92ct strong color change.
Here is I picture outside....

 

[conitta]

Here is one inside. Sorry for the not so great pictures...I CAN NOT take a good picture and you guys can...What is your secret?

 

[jcrow]

yummy!! what are your plans for it?

 

[Gemmal]

Wow, really really really gorgeous. You are so lucky. Could I ask how much would a beauty like that cost? Would love to get one like that to. Where did you get it? Thank you so very much for sharing.

 

[conitta]

Date: 7/26/2006 3:44:54 PM
Author: jcrow
yummy!! what are your plans for it?

Hey...Thanks. I plan on putting it in a ring so that I can see it.Don''t know when that will be but that is the plan.

Connie

 

[jcrow]

shoot, that''d be my plan too! can''t wait to see what you decide!

 

[conitta]

Date: 7/26/2006 9:48:56 PM
Author: Gemmal
Wow, really really really gorgeous. You are so lucky. Could I ask how much would a beauty like that cost? Would love to get one like that to. Where did you get it? Thank you so very much for sharing.

Thank you. I got it from JTV and in the $3000.00 range. I have had good luck with the appraisals I have gotten on the gemstones and finished pieces that I have purchased from them. I also feel safe in returning something if I do not like it and receiving a prompt refund with no questions asked and beleive me I have returned a lot!

It is a clean stone vvs-vs with strong color change. The pictures are horrible, I promise it looks better in person.

Connie

 

[gemmy1]

The photos very good at capturing the color change from flourescent to incondescent. It looks like it might be Brazilian material with that pretty blue-green to purple-red shift- did the vendor give the origin? There was a big strike near a town called Itabira in the mid 1980''s that set off a huge rush. It seems like the pocket originally discovered was the motherload. Since then production has been very low.

A nice clean one carat round is a very desirable gem. Congrats!

 

[Gemmal]

In my opinion, that is the most beautiful alexandrite. I think you have a SUPER deal there. Could you share with us how much the appraisals came in for your alex. You are a winner.

 

[conitta]

Date: 7/27/2006 7:49:16 PM
Author: gemmy1
The photos very good at capturing the color change from flourescent to incondescent. It looks like it might be Brazilian material with that pretty blue-green to purple-red shift- did the vendor give the origin? There was a big strike near a town called Itabira in the mid 1980''s that set off a huge rush. It seems like the pocket originally discovered was the motherload. Since then production has been very low.

A nice clean one carat round is a very desirable gem. Congrats!

gemmy1....You are good! YEs it is a Brazilian Alexandrite.I have read that they were cleaner material.This is the niceest one I have ever seen..out of the 4 I have seen...lol! I thought I would be able to get a better Alex by getting it loose instead of already set in a ring.I just have not seen many in person.Thanks for your input...

Connie

 

[conitta]

Date: 7/27/2006 8:58:01 PM
Author: Gemmal
In my opinion, that is the most beautiful alexandrite. I think you have a SUPER deal there. Could you share with us how much the appraisals came in for your alex. You are a winner.

I have not had this appraised yet but I will let you know. Thanks.

 

[Gemmal]

Thanks be sure to let us know the appraisal. You made a very WISE choice. Can''t wait to see what the appraisals say.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

oh, my birthstone! I am so jealous.

It is REALLY, REALLY beautiful!

 

[conitta]

Date: 7/28/2006 12:53:35 AM
Author: Tacori E-ring
oh, my birthstone! I am so jealous.

It is REALLY, REALLY beautiful!

Thank you. It is my sons birthstone also.

So I NEED it, right?

 

[Gemmal]

Its not even by birthstone but I NEED one. You are soooo lucky. I wanted to know if the change to red is really as red as it shows in the above picture. It looks like cranberry red. All the ones I have seen turn a wine red. Is the picture an accurate color? In any case we are ALL jealous.

 

[Gemmal]

Whoops sorry. By wine red I meant a dark purple.

 

[conitta]

Date: 7/28/2006 11:58:00 AM
Author: Gemmal
Whoops sorry. By wine red I meant a dark purple.

It doesn''t turn purple .That is the color when placed close to the light source. When it is in mixed light it has mixed colors and sparkles.

My favorite is the mixed colors.

 

[Gemmal]

What do you mean by mixed colors? I guess I don''t know what you mean. Also then it does turn a dark purple when close to the light source. The reason why I am asking is because the second picture looks really a light red. When by the light source is it the light red or deep purple. Thanks for educating us. I appreciate your patience. I don''t think I will find an alex as nice as yours.

 

[conitta]

Date: 7/28/2006 11:45:39 PM
Author: Gemmal
What do you mean by mixed colors? I guess I don''t know what you mean. Also then it does turn a dark purple when close to the light source. The reason why I am asking is because the second picture looks really a light red. When by the light source is it the light red or deep purple. Thanks for educating us. I appreciate your patience. I don''t think I will find an alex as nice as yours.

When close to the incondesent light it is red.When it is further away it has the red and the green flashes and I guess you can see some purple, but with the flashes. Then in daylight and floresent light it is a solid green. It is hard to explain and I am not good atdiscribing colors.

As for as it being nice...I think it is a nice one for the price. I would love to see one that was real top gem.

You could get a Russian lab created Alexandrite and you could see for yourself. I have one and so does my daughter. They are really pretty. It is the ONLY lab gem I would consider owning.

Connie

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 7/28/2006 11:45:39 PM
Author: Gemmal
What do you mean by mixed colors? I guess I don''t know what you mean.

Conitta has done a good job of explaining but maybe I can add a little more information.

Daylight and some fluoresecent light are strong in blue wavelengths with little red. Candlelight and incandescent light have lots of red but little blue. So when alexandrite is influenced only by only one of those two kinds of light it has the ability of selectively absorb blue light waves from daylight and red from incandescent.

But in many situations it''s in a combination of the two. Maybe you''re looking at a stone in incandescent light but near an open window. When that happens both types of light influence the stone''s colors and you see a mixture of colors, maybe blue or green with reddish highlights. Those colors can be very pretty and it''s great fun to observe and enjoy the different colors and moods of your alexandrite or other color change gem as it''s worn.

Richard M.

 

[conitta]

Thank you Richard for explaining what I was trying to discribe.That sounds exactly what it looks like.

Connie

 

[Gemmal]

Richard and Conitta thank you so much for your patience. It is so great to learn from people like you guys. I know, I know very little about the alex but you guys have the patience of jobe. Thanks again. Would you say that the Russian Alexandrite that is lab created is closest to your alex color. Also, how does it compare with the real Russian Natural Alexandrite. I think I really do understand because of Richard and your explanation about mixed colors. No wonder I am so facinated with the Alexandrite.

 

[Colored Gemstone Nut]

Gemmal:

Our resident cutter Richard M. does a excellent job describing characteristics of the color change and I wanted to add my 2 cents.

Alexandrite is strongly trichroic (phenomenon of different colors appearing when viewed from 3 different directions)There are variables which affect the price of this gem including how dramatic the color change is, modifying colors, size, and location Alexandrites are found. When the color change is dramatic, the stone will be very expensive. Less expensive stones will have a weaker change and less saturated colors.

In addition to the great description Richard gives characterizing the absorbtion of light in alexandrite, the color change phenomenon is also a result of the presence of chromium ions and the way those ions are absorbed and reflected. The presence of brown or gray modifying colors will lower the value vs. the price per carat on alexandrites with the lack of these modifying colors. Alexandrite is more common in smaller sizes but still fetch a steep price tag due to the rarity of the gemstone and the current command in the market. Price on fine smaller stones range up to $10,000 per carat.

Gemmal in discerning the differences from how you term "The Real Russian Alexandrite" I assume you are referring to the premium that stones from this region carry for fine examples.Alexandrite was originally discovered in Russia in the early 1830’s & this is where the finer top quality gem stones are found and command such a premium. Russian stones are characterized by displaying color change from very green to dark cherry red. Some other sources of alexandrite include Ceylon & Brazil. When purchasing a alexandrite it is an excellent idea to view the stone in daylight conditions in order to keep unscrupulous dealers from taking advantage of the lighting environment based on the fundamentals Richard explains in his response.

 

[Gemmal]

Wow great info, Thanks Josh, Richard and Conitta. Fascinating subject..... I am learning so much! Do different regions like Russian, Brazil, etc. put out different colored Alexandrites. I am wondering because I was looking on the internet and there were so many different colors and color changes. I realize that the computer cannot always duplicate exactly the colors but there were such big differences. From what I saw old time Russian Ones (no longer available probably) were more green to red. Brazilian more bluish green to grape purple and India more emerald green to sapphire blue. Which is the more expensive and desirable color. What would account for the differences in color change. When people say 80% color change what does that mean. Does it mean that only about 3/4 of the stone changed color or does it mean that the color is not as green as it should be like a green to blue instead of green to red? I had not seen anyplace on the internet that has green to red and yet that is what everyone says alexandrite change should be. Thanks all for answering these questions it facinates me.