Why do so many natural alexandrites look blue?

[RSargent]

So I know that green color changing to red is the Russian idea for natural alexandrites. Then I have read if your alexandrite looks blue it's likely a created corundum. So how come so many natural alexandrites look more blue to me than green? Anyone know?

 

[Michael_E]

Green to red color change is considered the very top change for alexandrite. Most of them don't do this and change color from a sort of blue/green to pink/purple, (which is similar to the old synthetic color change sapphires which were designed to mimic alexandrite) . This undoubtedly has something to do with the complexity of the elements causing color in these stones as well as their specific crystalline arrangments. If the one you're looking at looks blue and you want to see the other color, look at the stone under direct sunlight or incandescent light, which has a greater percentage of red light than say, a cool white florescent.

 

[chrono]

Pure green is incredibly rare. Those I've seen are slightly bluish green or bluish green, rather than straight green. I haven't seen a straight blue natural alexandrite though.

 

[RSargent]

The ones I have seen that are more blue blue than green to me are on Multicolour. I think they are the Brazilian material for the most part. Maybe what is greenish blue looks more blue to me but not to anyone else. Scary.

 

[RSargent]

This one is a good example. It looks blue to me.

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?878389539

 

[chrono]

This one is a good example. It looks blue to me.
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?878389539

The green is there, just as a secondary colour though.

 

[RSargent]

And some of these? Downright blue to me!
http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/list/97936/60/0

 

[chrono]

This looks the bluest to me. The rest have varying degrees of green. Of course, alexandrites are not easy to photograph, so I am more forgiving of colour inaccuracies.
http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00112277/overview/97936/60/0

 

[RSargent]

Thanks Chrono ... So this color is in the natural alexandrite realm, correct? I always read if there is any blue to the stone it's most likely a synthetic corundum laced with vanadium. This is a real eye opener...

 

[chrono]

Thanks Chrono ... So this color is in the natural alexandrite realm, correct? I always read if there is any blue to the stone it's most likely a synthetic corundum laced with vanadium. This is a real eye opener...

No, that is not what I meant. I believe that particular alexandrite to look much greener in person, only that it doesn't photograph accurately. I do not expect it to look blue as pictured in person. This is why we always caution to read the description and for this stone, it is listed as dark green blue, which is why I do not think the picture is accurate.

 

[RSargent]

Okay. Got it. I see so many photos of certed natural alexandrites that look quite blue. Must be very hard to photograph the true color.

 

[eastjavaman]

Yes it is difficult. Some of our users have photographed their Alex, but unless single source light, most likely you will get the mixed light result photos as shown in vendors (normally vendors do divvy up the photos based on light source). I understand that Alex come from Chrysoberyl, so will have that yellowish bluish greenish color, and while the chromium content will appear as brownish purplish red.

I miss Marlow to explain this Mumbo Jumbo

 

[chrono]

I miss Marlow to explain this Mumbo Jumbo

Me too.