How much is an alexandrite worth?
Currently, one-carat alexandrite gems can go for around $15,000. Alexandrite gems that are bigger than one carat can go for between $50,000 and $70,000 for every additional carat. The most valuable alexandrite in existence weighs 65.08 carats and has an estimated value of over $4 million.
How can you tell if alexandrite is real?
Genuine alexandrites of about one carat are sometimes (rarely) without eye-visible inclusions, so the fact that you can’t see anything in the stone doesn’t mean it’s not genuine. A look under the microscope at 10X or more is recommended. A large, inclusion-free, color-change alexandrite.
How can you tell good quality alexandrite?
Color change is the most important quality factor for alexandrite. The most-prized alexandrites show a strong color change from bluish green in daylight and red to purplish red in incandescent light, with moderately strong to strong color saturation. Alexandrites tend to contain few inclusions.
What is a good alexandrite?
Good quality alexandrite is teal, emerald, or blue-green under natural daylight or fluorescent lighting that ideally changes to purple-red or red under regular incandescent light. Often a slightly grey, blue/violet/purple is seen.
What color is the best alexandrite?
In fact, the best alexandrites are teal, vanadium green, greenish blue, or blue-green under natural daylight or fluorescent and change to purple-red or red under incandescent light. The more apparent the color change, and the more vivid the colors, the more valuable the gem.
What color alexandrite is more valuable?
green
Alexandrites can exhibit everything from 100% to just 5% color change. Thus, the most valuable gems would have a 100% color shift from pure green to pure red. Blue-greens and purplish or brownish reds hold less value. A natural alexandrite from the Ural Mountains of Russia.
How much does an alexandrite stone cost per carat?
Alexandrite heavier than 0.25cts is already rare, so any stones over 1ct will cost between $50,000 to $70,000 per carat. Good-quality alexandrite above five carats is even rarer, costing in the hundreds of thousands. Low-quality stones are usually less than $2,000 per carat, while mid-quality stones range from $7,000 to $12,000 per carat.
Where are alexandrite gems found in the world?
Often described by gem aficionados as “emerald by day, ruby by night,” alexandrite is the very rare color-change variety of the mineral chrysoberyl. Originally discovered in Russia’s Ural Mountains in the 1830s, it’s now found in Sri Lanka, East Africa, and Brazil, but fine material is exceptionally rare and valuable. Alexandrite Description
Why is the price of alexandrite so high?
Alexandrite’s price is usually very high, which is to a big extent due to its rarity – it remains one of the gemstones that are the most difficult to obtain. Most alexandrite gemstones are rather small – of 2 carats or less. Bigger ones are extremely rare.
How big is the largest faceted alexandrite stone?
The largest known faceted alexandrite, a 65.7-ct green/red color change stone from Sri Lanka, resides at the Smithsonian Institution. The largest Russian gems weigh about 30 carats. However, the vast majority of alexandrites weigh under one carat. Stones over five carats are very rare, especially with good color change.