Alexandrite is a stone of the rarest beauty, a real gem. By value, these stones are among the five most expensive, and some nuggets are more expensive than diamonds. Of course, an amazing stone needs a suitable setting, so today we will talk about alexandrite rings.
History of the Stone
Alexandrite was first found in 1833 in the Urals, mistaken for an emerald. And the thing is that in daylight this stone has a green color. What was the surprise of the miners when they later discovered that their "emeralds" had acquired a blood-red hue!
Soon the new stone was identified, studied and even presented to the imperial family. The name of the stone was given in honor of the 16-year-old heir to the throne, Alexander II.
The fashion for alexandrite swept through the capital at breakneck speed. However, only a select few could afford such a luxury. After all, both then and now, alexandrite is one of the rarest precious stones. Only members of the royal family and those close to themnobles could acquire alexandrite jewelry. In those days, a gold alexandrite ring was worth a fortune.
Features of the stone and how to distinguish a fake
Alexandrite changes color from green to blood red, turning yellow in between. A ring with alexandrite, whose photo sometimes seems like an illustration to a fairy tale, always feels the state of he alth of the hostess, and not just the lighting. It is also believed that a change in color to yellow shades can promise the approach of trouble. This nugget also has other colors that are less common: grayish, lilac, yellow. But the transition from green to red is a must. Crystals that do not have these shades are not alexandrites. If your alexandrite ring does not turn green or blush, the stone is artificial.
One more important detail - the nuggets of this stone are always small. Stones weighing 2 carats are already a rarity. 3-carat in the entire history of mining, only a few pieces were found. Take a close look at the alexandrite ring - too large a gem should alert!
Are you just going to buy jewelry? Be sure to note that in view of the rarity and high price of these stones, they, in principle, do not fall into consumer goods. If the seller has all the sizes of the ring you like - run away! A silver ring with alexandrite should also cause a surge of skepticism. Why set an expensive stone in a very budget metal? Such decorations are rather an exception to the general rule. Usuallygold or platinum is used.
Deposits and alexandrites from Alexandria
A rare alexandrite stone has been mined in the Urals for quite a long time. Today, the deposit is closed, as the subsoil has completely exhausted its reserve. A well-known deposit in Sri Lanka. In color, Ceylon gems are closer to the olive scale, in contrast to the Ural gems - bright green. This stone is also mined in Africa - in Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. Another well-known deposit is located in Brazil. Only in terms of depth of shade, neither African nor Brazilian stones can be compared with bright green Russian ones, the beauty of which does not fade over the years.
Those who have vacationed in the Mediterranean have probably met sellers more than once offering to buy alexandrites cheaply and quickly. Moreover, you probably heard a local story: that the stone owes its name to Alexandria. There is not a shred of truth in this. Rings from the Egyptian market are a fake, and a fairy tale was invented for gullible tourists.
Made in USSR
Surely even today there are a lot of those who got a Soviet ring with alexandrite from their grandmother. The stones in these rings are very beautiful, the cutting of the old Soviet jewelry school is still famous. One trouble - the range of their shades ranges from pink to lilac. And this, as we have already found out, speaks of the artificial origin of the stone.
The fashion for alexandrites in the USSR was simply universal. And most of our compatriots are sure to this daythat alexandrite should be lilac. In fact, not a single stone mined in the Urals has ever been on free sale. Alexandrites were considered a strategic product in the USSR. Jewelry factories worked only with a synthetic analogue.
Signs and superstitions
Before you buy an alexandrite ring, many people often think about the ambiguous fame of this gem. Someone calls him a widow, someone is sure that he will make his mistress lonely. These superstitions have been going on since the 50s of the last century, when the fashion for alexandrites swept the world once again. What was the number of widows in a world that had just survived a terrible war? But is it the fault of the stone? And how many percent of widowed women could afford to buy a ring with natural alexandrite? In the vast majority of cases, we can only talk about artificial stones.
In any case, since then it has been customary to consider that an alexandrite ring should be complemented with a pair of earrings, a pendant or a brooch with the same stone.
There are signs not only among consumers, but also among miners. Ural prospectors once tried not to touch alexandrites at all, because it was believed that after them they would never be able to get emeralds again. An already rare stone remained in the depths…
Purchase Rules
Check the certificate first. It will indicate the color, transparency of the stone, the shape of its cut and, of course, the deposit where it was mined. Pay attention to size, avoid large stones.
Remember that alexandrite is expensive, in the range of several thousand dollars per carat. Do not trust random sellers, look for products from world famous companies and auctions with a good reputation. And most importantly - choose the ring with alexandrite that will be to your liking. After all, sometimes even a simple polished stone with a low level of transparency can bring its owner much more joy than a faceted crystal with the highest rates.
