There are four major methods of changing the colors of gemstones. These are surface painting or foiling the back, oiling, coating, impregnating, staining of porous stones, heat treatment, and irradiation by particles of atomic size and X-rays. The color c
The retail replacement cost for a 1ct. alexandrite could be anywhere between $500 to $12,000 per carat. The intensity of the color change and the attractiveness of the colors are the most important factors in determining the value of an alexandrite. With
It is very unlikely that even an old alexandrite ring could contain a natural alexandrite. Natural alexandrites, especially large clean stones are extremely rare and almost never available at any price. Most old inherited alexandrite rings are actually sy
The mining of alexandrite in Russia lasted less than 100 years from the time it was discovered in 1833 to the early 1900’s. It was George Kunz, the gemologist/gemstone buyer for Tiffany & Co that probably did the most to popularize this unique gemst
The cat's-eye effect is caused by the reflection of light off of minute, parallel, needle-like rutile crystals or hollow tubes within the stone. Cat's eye inclusions are aligned parallel to the crystallographic axis and the stones are always cut as caboch
Alexandrite is an expensive gemstone because it so rare and production has always been limited. For years, the only source for alexandrite was Russia. In the last 20 or 30 years several new discoveries of alexandrite have been reported but production of s