What is top color for an alexandrite?

[pregcurious]

I assume an alex that is vivid and saturated in both colorways is considered as having top color, but is that assumption correct? Is medium or medium dark considered better (by the trade)? Is the blue/green to red/purple change the most desired?

 

[treasurehunter]

Emerald by day ruby by night . Vivid, medium dark but medium is close
The closer to slightly bluish green or a pure green and the closer to pure red the better.

 

[LD]

Emerald by day ruby by night . Vivid, medium dark but medium is close
The closer to slightly bluish green or a pure green and the closer to pure red the better.

I'm afraid the phrase "emerald by day and ruby by night" is a fallacy! I can't remember who coined it but it was a fanciful description attempting to fit the colours of the Russian flag!

The truth is that Alexandrite (to be a top stone) has to be attractive in both daylight and incandescent lighting conditions and this is what can be difficult. A top Alex also must have a very strong colour change (as opposed to weak, medium etc). So the normal way of assessing colour as vivid etc., goes a bit by the wayside with Alex as there are "top" grades for both colourways and the trick is to find a stone that has both (not easy!).

GIA grades the following colours as top in daylight, G 5/2 (medium slightly grayish green) and vslbG 5/2 (medium slightly grayish very slightly bluish green). Under incandescent light, R 5/3 (medium very slightly brownish red) and slpR 5/3 (very slightly brownish slightly purplish red) to be ideal.

So, throw out what you know about every other coloured gemstone and start again with the learning on this one!

Hope that helps Preg.

 

[pregcurious]

Treasurehunter and LD, thanks for your messages.

LD, the GIA grades help tremendously. I feel like I've been driving blindly because I keep on seeing alexs with a 2 or 3 in tone; I think it's not good, but the price is high. Now it makes sense!

I saw an alex with a "4" in tone, and it was much brighter than I used to seeing in alexs, but it had a _huge_ window. Is that okay?

 

[LD]

It depends Preg. Many Alex are poorly cut to preserve weight so you will find them windowed more than often. The window is a problem if it affects the colour change or the overall look of the stone. What's the carat weight?

In terms of top daylight colour, do you remember my 3ct pear? Well that's graded as a G 5/2 and I would say it's a greyish green and RP/PR 5/3 medium red-purple/pink. So it's not far off the ideal colourways. It's probably not what people think of when they think Alex!

 

[pregcurious]

About 1.8 carats. The window takes up about a third to half of the stone.

 

[Starzin]

You've probably read it but just putting a link to LD's teaching thread on Alex with some useful photos.
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...read-this-first.179784/#post-3267495#p3267495

 

[minousbijoux]

About 1.8 carats. The window takes up about a third to half of the stone.

Would a window of that magnitude bother you?

 

[pregcurious]

Not sure. Hmm.

 

[LD]

Preg can you reserve it and then post a photo OR can you post a photo so it's not evident where it's from OR you know how to get hold of me on the "other" forum so if you want to PM me the details I'll be happy to look at it for you xxx

 

[pregcurious]

Thanks, LD. I just emailed you at GO.