Is alexandrite the same as chrysoberyl?
Is alexandrite the same as chrysoberyl?
Chrysoberyl is the species name and Alexandrite is the variety name. Alexandrite is that variety of chrysoberyl that changes color as a function of the light source; green in daylight and red under incandescent light. When the stone has a strong color, two additional bands can be seen in the green-blue.
Why is chrysoberyl called alexandrite?
The chrysoberyl in which this phenomenon was first observed was named “alexandrite” after Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Alexandrite is a rare material, only found in very small deposits. It was first discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in the late 1800s.
How much is a real alexandrite worth?
In sizes up to one carat, top-quality natural gems can sell for up to $15,000 per carat. Over one carat, the prices range from $50,000 to $70,000 per carat! For more detailed value information, see our alexandrite buying guide.
What is the difference between beryl and chrysoberyl?
Although both beryl and chrysoberyl contain beryllium, they are separate gemstone species unrelated in any other way. Beryl crystallizes hexagonally while chrysoberyl crystallizes in orthorhombic arrangements. Chrysoberyl will crystallize at higher temperatures than beryl.
Is chrysoberyl a beryl?
Despite its name, chrysoberyl is not a member of the beryl species. The beryls (emerald, aquamarine, golden beryl and morganite) are aluminum beryllium silicates, whereas chrysoberyl is beryllium aluminum oxide. However, the chrysoberyl species does have some very distinguished members.
Where is chrysoberyl found?
Much of the chrysoberyl mined in Brazil and Sri Lanka is recovered from placers, as the host rocks have been intensely weathered and eroded. If the pegmatite fluid is rich in beryllium, crystals of beryl or chrysoberyl could form.
What is the true color of alexandrite?
Alexandrite, with its chameleon-like qualities, is a rare variety of the mineral chrysoberyl. Its color can be a lovely green in daylight or fluorescent light, changing to brownish or purplish red in the incandescent light from a lamp or candle flame.
What Colour is chrysoberyl?
Today, chrysoberyl is an affordable, yet often-overlooked gemstone. In its classic form, chrysoberyl ranges from honey-gold to green in color, and translucent to transparent in clarity. It is sometimes compared to citrine or yellow sapphire, though chrysoberyl is far more affordable.
What stones are chrysoberyl?
Chrysoberyl is a yellow to greenish-yellow, transparent to translucent, semi-precious version of Alexandrite. Chrysoberyl, like Alexandrite, is a beryllium aluminum oxide. Chrysoberyl is one of the hardest minerals, falling just below corundum (ruby or sapphire), and diamond.
