Exceptionally Good Quality Genuine Natural Handcrafted Celanese Color Change Half Carat (Plus) Faceted “Old-Fashioned” Cut Alexandrite Precious Gemstone. Accented with a Genuine Round Handcut Diamond. Contemporary High Quality Sterling Silver Ring (Size 7 – Resizing Available).

CLASSIFICATION: Faceted “Old Fashioned” Cut Alexandrite.

ORIGIN: Alexandrite: Celanese.

ALEXANDRITE SIZE: Length: 5mm. Width: 4mm. Thickness (Depth): 3mm. All measurements approximate.

DIAMOND SIZE: Diameter: 1 3/4mm. Thickness (Depth): 1 1/2mm. All measurements approximate.

ALEXANDRITE WEIGHT: Approximately 0.55 carats.

DIAMOND WEIGHT: Approximately 0.03 carats.

NOTE: Resizing is available. If you would prefer a different setting style, odds are we have many different setting styles available which would fit this stone(s) which could be substituted for no or very little additional cost. Some would accommodate the diamond accent, some would not. 14kt solid gold settings are also available, in both this same style, as well as in other styles. Write us for pictures and prices.

NOTE: If you would like only the alexandrite gemstone, and not the setting (and/or the diamond accent), we can dismount the gemstone and offer you the gemstone without the setting. Just let us know, and yes, we’ll discount the price by the cost of the setting.

DETAIL: Beware! The vast majority of alexandrite offered in the USA is synthetic. The American Gemological Institute estimates that less than 1 in every 100,000 Americans has ever even seen genuine, natural alexandrite. This is a very beautiful, brilliant, rare, natural green (color change) alexandrite gemstone which originated in Ceylon (“Sri Lanka”). The gemstone was hand crafted and faceted by an artisan, following in the footsteps of a centuries-old heritage renown for the production of the elaborate gemstones and jewelry of the Czars of Medieval, Renaissance, and Victorian Europe. As you can see in the accompanying photo enlargements, the gemstone is absolutely clean to the unaided eye. Even in these photo enlargements it is exceedingly difficult to discern whatever blemishes that the gemstone might possess, if any. It may be confidently characterized as “eye clean”, though with a loupe it is possible to discern a few minute blemishes (as is ordinarily the case with any natural gemstone, and in particular, alexandrite).

The gemstone is green, when it is so inclined, at least. The color under most lighting conditions (under fluorescent or natural light for example) is the classic alexandrite green, reminiscent of both peridot and emerald. However under incandescent light, the stone magically transforms itself into a peach/orange-yellow hue. No matter what light source we used to image this gemstone, whether scanner or camera, it turned color. In hand, under most lighting conditions, it is most assuredly green. But the charm of these remarkable gemstones, at least in the higher qualities, is the dramatic color change they are capable of. And true to its reputation, incandescent lighting, or in these images, the light of our imaging equipment turned this precious gemstone rose-peach/orange-yellow. In fact, our imaging equipment really does not properly capture the color change, in hand it is less yellow, and more peach/orange.

Classic SIberian alexandrite (the most expensive alexandrite in the market) typically shifts color from green to a rose-red or purple-blue hue depending upon the intensity and spectrum of light it is exposed to. Of course, less expensive alexandrite will have a less intense color change than more costly alexandrite. Celanese alexandrite generally does not have the same intense color change as Siberian alexandrite. The color shift tends to be more in the nature of a change from green to yellow or peach/orange. The red and violet tones normally found within alexandrite absent. The color change is nonetheless quite pleasing, and the quality of much Celanese alexandrite, as in the case of the present gemstone, is stunning. This particular gemstone is alive with flashes, really a brilliant gemstone.

However the color shift is much less pronounced when contrasted with the highest grades of alexandrite. Nonetheless high quality Celanese alexandrite (and this is), is quite rare and expensive. The green images were produced using a filter which suppresses the normal color change so as to produce an image of matching color (to show you the normal color of the gemstone). But the remaining images which were produced with a high definition scanner and show you what the gemstone looks like when “fully illuminated”. This fascinating and sumptuous gemstone was hand crafted into this sparkling faceted “old-fashioned” cut gemstone by an artisan, part of a centuries-old heritage renown for the production of the elaborate gemstones and jewelry of the Czars of Medieval, Renaissance, and Victorian Europe. It is a gorgeous gemstone, full of fire and sparkle, vibrant, and possessing good clarity and color.

It is truly a special gemstone, quite rare. And while I will admit to a preference for the slightly different green of Siberian alexandrite, the color shift exhibited by this Celanese alexandrite is certainly very attractive both in hue and intensity. The setting is of contemporary origin. It is a high quality setting manufactured by one of the USA’s leading semi-custom mount producers. It is constructed of solid sterling silver. We do have the ability to have the ring sent out for resizing if requested. There are many other ring styles available, if you would like to see them, just contact us, we would be happy to share them with you. Most other setting styles in sterling silver are available at no additional cost. Additionally, if preferred, this mounting (as well as a wide variety of ring settings in other appealing styles) are also available in 14kt solid gold.

The diamond accent is a handcrafted 1 3/4mm round diamond. It is a white diamond, and without any blemishes discernible to the unaided eye (i.e., "eye clean"). As might be expected under magnification the alexandrite gemstone (and the diamond, for that matter) show the unmistakable characteristics of having been hand crafted. The coarseness of the handcrafted finish is considered appealing to most gemstone aficionados, and is not considered a detriment, or detract from the value of a gemstone. These characteristics are not only expected of hand-finished gemstones, many believe that such hand-crafted gemstones possess much greater character and appeal than today's mass-produced, laser-cut gemstones. Unlike today’s computer controlled machine produced gemstones that approach flawlessness in a perfect finish, the cut and finish of a handcrafted gemstone such as this is the cultural legacy passed onwards by artisans who lived centuries ago.

Handcrafted though it may be the alexandrite gemstone possesses superb luster and sparkle, and to the eye is completely transparent, but that is not to intimate that it is absolutely flawless. Most gemstones which are “absolutely flawless” turn out to be synthetic, and that is particularly true with respect to alexandrite. However whatever blemishes this gemstone might possess are not visible to the naked eye, or even in the accompanying photo enlargements, and to use trade jargon the gemstone can be characterized as "eye clean". To the eye it is indeed flawless; however magnified as it is here, or certainly in jeweler's loupe or scope, one would most certainly be able to discern some minor blemishes.

Of course the same may said about almost any natural gemstone (and particularly alexandrite). Absolutely flawless gemstones simply are not the rule in nature. Most absolutely flawless gemstones will upon close examination be revealed to be synthetic. You might also notice under magnification occasional irregularities in the cut and finish. However for most, the unique nature and character of handcrafted gemstones such as this more than makes up for minute cutting or faceting blemishes, which by and large of course, are (if at all) only visible under high magnification.

ALEXANDRITE HISTORY: Alexandrite is known as a "color change" gemstone. It is emerald green in daylight or under fluorescent lighting, and a purplish red or blue under incandescent lighting, candlelight, or twilight. It belongs to the chrysoberyl family of gems, and one of the most extraordinary types is a cats-eye variety of alexandrite, possessing a remarkably prominent "cat's eye". Most sources credit the discovery of this very unique gemstone to the year 1830 on the birthday of Prince (and ultimately Czar) Alexander II in the Ural Mountains. In celebration of Prince Alexander's coming-of-age, this remarkable gemstone was named after him. Alexandrite was popular in Imperial Europe both with the royal family and the wealthy elite, both because of its association with the Czar, and because red and green were the colors of the Empire (and its flag).

However this most rare stone did not bring to Alexander the good fortune it is now generally associated with. Upon ascending to the throne, Alexander II began long-awaited reforms, including abolishing serfdom, a deed that earned him the name of “The Liberator”. But a terrorist’s bomb ended his life. In memoriam of the monarch who passed away so prematurely, many people started to wear alexandrite jewelry. It was considered to be the symbol of loyalty to the throne and compassion towards the victims of the revolutionary terror, but at the same time, it said a lot about the owner’s fortune and social position. Even in those times, it was quite difficult to buy an alexandrite ring. According to some, “there were people who made quite an effort to find an alexandrite, and more often, they failed than succeeded.”

Alexandrite is well known to be an extremely scarce and very costly gem. The quality of color change with different illumination is the primary basis for its quality and price. According to the Gemstone Institute of America (“GIA”), no more than one person out of 100,000 has ever seen a natural alexandrite gemstone, although synthetic alexandrite is common and widely available. It is likely that if you read the fine print of 99% of the Alexandrite offered at retail jewelers, you will find it to be "laboratory produced" - synthetic. If there is a huge color change from a very intense green to a very intense red/purple, you can be 99.9% sure that both the color change and the gemstone itself is synthetic. The shift in color of natural gemstones is generally much more subtle. Kind of like the difference in taste between fruit juice and Kool-Aide. One is subtle and natural, the other brassy and synthetic.

However even as an artificially grown stone, alexandrite often commands a retail price of $300.00 to $500.00 per carat. Of course, alexandrite can be found in European jewelry of the imperial era, as it was well loved by the master jewelers. Master gemologist George Kunz of Tiffany was a fan of alexandrite, and the company produced many rings featuring fine alexandrite in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, including some set in platinum from the twenties. Some Victorian jewelry from England featured sets of small alexandrite. However the original source in Ural Mountains has long since closed after producing for only a few decades, and only a few stones can be found on the market today.

In the past few decades some very small deposits of alexandrite have been discovered in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, India, and Mozambique. However the Brazilian gemstones tend to have washed out colors when cut, and the African and Celanese sources produce very dark, not brightly colored gemstones. The alexandrite from India tends to be very low quality, with limited color change. The cut alexandrite is usually "harvested" from vintage jewelry. For over a century this source of "recycled" gemstones was the only source of Alexandrite, and for many years, alexandrite was almost impossible to find because there was so little available. Alexandrite remains elusive. A few specimens are still found from time-to-time in the Ural Mountains, and are sometimes available as an unset stone, but it is extremely rare in fine qualities.

Stones over 5 carats are almost unknown, though the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., owns a 66 carat specimen, which is believed to be the largest cut alexandrite in existence. The colors within alexandrite are due to trace amounts of the mineral impurities iron, titanium, and chromium (and rarely vanadium is also present). As is the case with emerald, the chromium element both giveth and taketh away. While chromium is responsible both for the green color as well as the color change characteristics of alexandrite, chromium also causes alexandrite (like emerald and ruby) to be characterized by fissures and fractures within the gemstone. Just as emerald is treated under high pressure with oil, in recent years newly-mined alexandrite has oftentimes similarly treated under high pressure with a fluxing agent such as resin, wax, or borax.

The tiny crevasses and fractures are then filled with this material under high pressure, and the treatment is generally very difficult to detect outside of the laboratory. However whereas emerald (and ruby) are routinely treated, alexandrite is only occasionally (and only recently) afforded such treatment. The treatment is a recent development, and was not used on gemstones produced in the nineteenth century. In Europe alexandrite is thought to bring luck, good fortune and love, and also to allow the wearer to foresee danger. It is also believed to encourage romance, and to strengthen intuition, creativity, and imagination. Alexandrite is also believed to be beneficial in the treatment of leukemia. On the metaphysical plane, alexandrite is believed useful in reinforcing one's self esteem and balancing positive and negative energy.