Alexandrite (7 stone set)

Item Description

One of the most desirable and sought after gems on the market is Alexandrite, which is the color changing variety of Chryosberyl. The very first Alexandrite crystals and gems came from Russia, and were named after the Tsar Alexander II in 1842. The term "Alexandrite-type" color change is often used when a stone changes from a warmer hue i.e., pink to a cooler hue i.e., green or blue when expose to different light sources i.e., indoor lighting and sunlight. This color chage is extremely rare and is only exhibited in a few gems around the world. About 30 years ago, there was a discovery of some fine quality gem Alexandrite from the Girdlestone Farm in Zimbabwe. Here we have a 7 stone set of "Round Brilliant" cut stones that came out of an old stash of gems from a recent collection acquisition. These are some of the best Zimbabwean Alexandrite on the market in many years. These gems range from moderately included to very slightly included (they look better in person than the photos indicate), and exhibit a good color change as they shift from a beautiful greenish (with a slight blue overtone) in sunlight to a lovely pinkish-lilac color in indoor lighting. The stones show about an 90%-95% color change, and they were VERY difficult to photograph, but they honestly show a different color in various temperature light sources. Top Alexandrite gems from contemporary localities can retail for a few thousand dollars per carat on the high end market, so a multi-stone set like this is certainly a worthwhile pickup for the starting bid.