Alexandrite Jewelry

What alexandrite is

Alexandrite is a rare variety of the mineral chrysoberyl, famous for changing color with the light. GIA describes the finest stones as vivid green to bluish green in daylight or fluorescent light, turning intense red to purplish red under incandescent light. Major deposits were found in Russia's Ural Mountains in 1830, and the stone was named for the young heir Alexander II; its red and green echoed imperial Russia's military colors. The Ural mines are long exhausted, and most natural alexandrite now comes from Brazil, Sri Lanka and East Africa. Our alexandrite guide covers its story.

Natural and lab-grown alexandrite

Fine natural alexandrite is one of the more expensive colored gems, especially above a carat, so we offer two lanes and name each piece. Lab-grown alexandrite has the same chemistry, hardness and color change as mined stones and makes larger sizes realistic: it is the center of every engagement ring here, and of our pendants and most necklaces. Natural alexandrite appears in small, precise sizes, mostly 1.75 to 4 mm, in our fashion rings and in four necklaces whose titles say natural. One cocktail ring uses lab-grown alexandrite. Each product page states the lane.

Alexandrite, a June birthstone

Alexandrite shares June with pearl and moonstone, and GIA lists it for the 55th wedding anniversary. Two colors in one stone make alexandrite birthstone jewelry a memorable June gift. Read about the June birthstones, see birthstones by month, or browse birthstone jewelry.

How to judge alexandrite

The strength of the color change is everything: a stone that moves clearly from green to red is worth far more than one that shifts only slightly or looks muddy. Look at a piece in daylight and again under a warm lamp. Lab-grown alexandrite usually shows a strong, clean change. Small natural stones show a subtler shift, which is part of their charm and their rarity.

Caring for alexandrite

At 8.5 on the Mohs scale with excellent toughness and no cleavage, alexandrite is one of the best colored gems for an everyday ring. Clean it with warm, soapy water; ultrasonic and steam cleaners are usually safe as well. Store it apart from diamonds and sapphires, which are harder. More in our Mohs hardness scale and jewelry cleaning guide.

How to choose alexandrite jewelry

For an engagement ring, lab-grown alexandrite gives a generous center with a strong color change, in halo, three-stone and solitaire settings with round, oval, cushion, emerald-cut and princess centers from 1 to 2 carats. For a collector's piece, choose a natural alexandrite ring; the stones are small but rare. White gold and platinum keep the green crisp, while yellow and rose gold warm the red side of the change. Rings are made to order in your size, so start with the sizing guide.

Alexandrite Jewelry at a glance