Artificial alexandrite: production, applications, cost

Alexandrite is an expensive and rare stone, its value has been high since its discovery in the 1930s. It came into fashion from the beginning of the accession to the throne of Alexander II the Liberator. The autocrat was very fond of this stone, which was given to him for his coming of age.

Types of Alexandrites

How much does alexandrite cost? The cost depends on the weight, purity, and color of the stone being sold. A quarter-carat gem with a medium alexandrite effect starts at $500. Alexandrites of good quality and the same size are valued at five to six thousand dollars per carat. A beautiful five-carat stone with a strong color-changing effect can cost a million dollars.

Following the example of the king, many dignitaries and their wives acquired a ring with alexandrite. In one of his letters, Prince Kurbatov complained that for the price of alexandrite he could buy three emeralds of the same weight. The popularity of alexandrite increased after the death of the king, and the price of the gem soared. Thus, the writer Leskov bought a ring with alexandrite for 300 rubles - a huge amount at that time.

Despite the fact that deposits with gems were found in Brazil and Sri Lanka at the end of the 19th century, alexandrite was affordable only for wealthy people. There was always a little bit of it. Thus, only two tons of alexandrites have been found in Russia over a hundred years. Considering that most of the stones were not of jewelry quality, then this is a tiny amount of production.

The situation did not improve much when chemists learned to synthesize alexandrites. The synthesis of chrysoberyl with the alexandrite effect began in the 19th century, and synthetic stone appeared on sale only in the 20th century.

Not many alexandrites were produced in the world and in the Soviet Union, so synthetic alexandrites are second in cost after synthetic diamonds. Their price increases every year and ranges from 200-500 dollars per carat.

An amazing fact: despite all this, such a rare stone as alexandrite was owned by almost every Soviet woman who loved jewelry.

Artificial alexandrite: description

Alexandrite is an amazingly beautiful mineral that can change its color. It is also called royal. After all, the gem got its name in honor of the Russian Emperor Alexander II. The crystal is also called a chameleon. It is able to change its color under different lighting.

But at the moment, real natural crystals are very rare on sale and are expensive. After all, there are few active deposits of this stone on Earth; they are depleted.

Scientists have come to the aid of lovers of alexandrite jewelry. They learned in laboratory conditions to create artificial analogues of the royal stone. Synthesized specimens are indistinguishable from natural ones. Sometimes the former are superior in beauty to their natural counterparts. Hydrothermal stones are brighter, their color palette is wider. They have no external defects, such as small cracks, haze, or foreign inclusions. Moreover, the parameters for the royal gems are set in advance.

Features of the stone and how to distinguish a fake

Alexandrite changes color from green to blood red, transitioning to yellow in between. A ring with alexandrite, the photo of which sometimes seems like an illustration to a fairy tale, always also senses the state of health of the owner, and not just the lighting. It is also believed that a change in color to yellow shades can promise impending troubles. This nugget also has other colors that are less common: grayish, lilac, yellow. But going from green to red is a must. Crystals that do not have these shades are not alexandrites. If your alexandrite ring does not turn green or red, the stone is artificial.

Another important detail is that the nuggets of this stone are always small. Stones weighing 2 carats are already very rare. Only a few 3-carat pieces have been found in the entire history of mining. Take a close look at the ring with alexandrite - too large a gem should alert you!

Are you just planning to buy jewelry? Be sure to keep in mind that due to the rarity and high price of these stones, in principle they do not end up in consumer goods. If the seller has all the sizes of the ring you like, run away! A silver ring with alexandrite should also cause a surge of skepticism. Why set an expensive stone into very inexpensive metal? Such decorations are rather an exception to the general rules. Typically gold or platinum is used.

Physical and chemical properties

Synthesized chameleon gems retain all the external, physical and chemical properties of natural alexandrites. Hydrothermal stones have:

• high transparency;
• hardness on the Mohs scale is about 8-8.5 units;
• density – 3.6-3.8 g/cm3;
• refractive index – 1.74-1.75;
• glassy sheen;
• imperfect cleavage;
• conchoidal fracture.

Minerals do not interact with a magnet. They are resistant to acids, except hydrofluoric and boric, and melt at a temperature of 1800°C.

Helpful information

Thanks to modern technologies, scientists create artificial alexandrites of any shade, from green to purple. Moreover, the iridescence effect remains. In daylight, crystals are cast in dark blue, dark green, greenish blue, and olive green. And in the light of lamps or the moon they become pink-crimson, red-violet, purple.

Varieties

Masters divide chameleon crystals into groups depending on their color range in natural and artificial light:

It's better to order than to buy

But even if a ring with a natural stone is found, the appearance of the jewelry does not always correspond to the buyer’s expectations. You may not like the color or shape of the insert. Another issue is the size of the ring. There are simply no size ranges for single stones, so the manufacturer produces the most popular sizes, usually 17. It is not always technically possible to change the shank parameters.

In this case, it is better to purchase the stone you like and order the production of a ring with it at a jewelry company. The ring will be made to size, from the desired jewelry alloy, taking into account your design preferences. Before fastening, the product can be tried on and its beauty can be assessed.

Typically, such work is carried out on an advance payment, which goes towards the purchase of precious metals.

How is artificial alexandrite obtained?

During the Soviet Union, a technology was developed for producing high-quality synthesized royal gems. This is the so-called horizontal directional crystallization (HDC) method.

First, the molybdenum sheet is bent into a boat shape. The mixture of chemicals that make up natural alexandrite is placed in this container. The “boat” is placed in the heating zone of a special installation. Then the air is pumped out of it and a certain temperature is set. During the process, with the help of special automatic weighing systems, the increase in the mass of crystals is constantly monitored. The process of growing minerals takes place throughout the week. In a year you can get several kilograms of jewelry-quality minerals.

INSTALLATION OF SAPPHIRE-2M

American craftsmen use another technique called melt pulling to produce artificial royal stones. Using this method, specimens weighing up to 450 carats, up to 6.5 centimeters long, and 1.3-2 centimeters in diameter were created. In addition, jewelers consider such samples to be of high quality. They are often used in combination with other precious and semi-precious stones.

Areas of application of artificial alexandrite

Synthetic alexandrite is most often used in the jewelry industry. A wide range of colors and the unusual effect of changing color during the day and evening makes the stone attractive to fashionistas of all ages.

Helpful information

Wearing jewelry with a natural chameleon gem became fashionable back in the days of emperors. If the wife of a diplomat, a court lady or a noblewoman did not have an alexandrite accessory, then this was considered bad form.

This trend has not yet passed. In the 21st century, artificial stones look no worse, and sometimes even better, than their natural counterparts. Typically, jewelers cut gems in steps or in the shape of a drop. This technique allows you to ensure that the minerals shimmer and sparkle. Jewelry lovers enjoy wearing jewelry with an artificial royal stone.

Scientists have learned to create chameleon minerals that are used in the production of lasers to create medical devices. With their help, complex operations on the eyeballs and heart are performed. These modern devices allow you to cut the smallest blood vessels.

Signs and superstitions

Before buying a ring with alexandrite, many often think about the controversial fame of this gem. Some call him a widow's man, others are sure that he will make his mistress lonely. These superstitions began in the 50s of the last century, when the fashion for alexandrites swept the world once again. What was the number of widows in a world that had just experienced a terrible war? But is this the stone’s fault? And what percentage of widowed women could afford to buy a ring with natural alexandrite? In the vast majority of cases, we can only talk about artificial stones.

In any case, since then it has become a common belief that a ring with alexandrite must be complemented with a pair of earrings, a pendant or a brooch with the same stone.

There are signs not only among consumers, but also among miners. Ural prospectors once tried not to touch alexandrites at all, because it was believed that after them it would never be possible to extract emeralds again. The already rare stone remained in the depths...

Decorations

Alexandrite jewelry always looks great. Moreover, craftsmen use noble metals of the highest jewelry standard as a frame for the royal gem. Psychics believe that jewelry with chameleon minerals should only be worn in pairs.

An elegant gold ring with a royal gem framed by diamonds will emphasize the status of its owner. This type of jewelry can be worn to a social, official, or ceremonial event. The accessory will suit a lady of any age and any festive outfit.

A chic ring with amblygonite, artificial alexandrite and emeralds is a real work of art. This accessory should be worn by a mature woman. There is no shame in wearing it to a gala dinner or anniversary. The decoration will look great with a floor-length cocktail dress.

Silver earrings with synthetic alexandrites and cubic zirconia. The accessory will highlight the beauty of the lady. Decoration with an unusual shape will not go unnoticed. It will attract the envious glances of everyone around you.

An elegant silver bracelet with chameleon minerals will be the perfect addition to an office suit. Both a business woman and an ordinary employee can afford to wear an accessory made of artificial alexandrite.

Lithotherapists claim that constantly wearing jewelry with chameleon gems has a beneficial effect on overall well-being.

Stone care

In order for alexandrite products to delight you with their beauty for as long as possible, you need to know and follow certain rules:

1. Upon arriving home, the jewelry is immediately removed so that the mineral does not come into contact with household chemicals.
2. Once every six months, the crystal is washed in soapy liquid and then rinsed under running warm water. After these manipulations, wipe the jewelry with a clean soft cloth.
3. Jewelry is stored in a soft bag made of plush.
4. Do not allow mechanical damage or falling accessories.

A careful attitude will extend the life of a beautiful stone. The decoration will pass from generation to generation, maintaining its attractive appearance.

Differences between real and artificial alexandrite

Only jewelers using special equipment can distinguish hydrothermal chameleon stones from samples created by nature. But ordinary buyers should know the signs inherent in synthetic minerals. These are usually transparent light lilac specimens with minimal color change during the day and evening. Moreover, in daylight, the gems have a yellowish tint. Sometimes there are crystals of a dark burgundy color, similar to rubies. Gray-olive specimens are quite rare. They are considered low-quality synthetic stones.

Deposits and alexandrites from Alexandria

The rare stone alexandrite has been mined in the Urals for quite some time. Today the field is closed because the subsoil has completely exhausted its reserves. Famous deposit in Sri Lanka. The color of Ceylon gems is closer to olive, in contrast to the Ural ones - bright green. This stone is also mined in Africa - in Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. Another famous deposit is located in Brazil. Only in terms of the depth of shade, neither African nor Brazilian stones can compare with bright green Russian ones, the beauty of which does not fade over the years.

Those who vacationed in the Mediterranean have probably met sellers more than once offering to buy alexandrites inexpensively and quickly. Moreover, you’ve probably heard a local story: that the stone owes its name to Alexandria. There is not a shred of truth in this. The rings from the Egyptian market are fake, and the fairy tale was invented for gullible tourists.

Where to buy and cost?

They buy alexandrite accessories only in specialized jewelry stores that can provide quality certificates for their goods.

The price of a hydrothermal gem depends on several factors. In particular, on the carat value and the main color of the crystal. It also depends on what metal is used for framing.

Silver products can be purchased at the following prices:

• ring - for 7500 rubles;
• earrings – 4000;
• bracelet – 6500;
• pendant – 1500.

The cost of gold jewelry is many times higher.

Alexandrite is an exclusive crystal with a beautiful appearance. The appearance of synthesized gems on the jewelry market has made jewelry with the royal mineral available to all jewelry lovers. Now any fashionista can have her favorite alexandrite jewelry.

Purchase rules

First of all, check the certificate. It will indicate the color, transparency of the stone, the shape of its cut and, of course, the deposit where it was mined. Pay attention to the size, avoid large stones.

Remember that alexandrite is expensive, ranging from several thousand dollars per carat. Do not trust random sellers, look among the products of world-famous companies and at auctions with a good reputation. And most importantly, choose the ring with alexandrite that suits your taste. After all, sometimes even a simple polished stone with a low level of transparency can bring its owner much more joy than a faceted crystal with the highest levels.