Alexandrite: June's Color-Changing Birthstone
Alexandrite is one of three June birthstones — pearl and moonstone are the others — and the most rare and valuable of the three. Discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1834 and named after the future Tsar Alexander II, alexandrite is famous for its dramatic color change: green in daylight, red under incandescent light. This guide covers what alexandrite is, where it comes from, and what to look for when buying one.
In short: Alexandrite is one of three June birthstones (alongside pearl and moonstone) and the rarest of the trio. A chrysoberyl variety that displays green in daylight and red under incandescent light — a dramatic colour shift caused by trace chromium. Durable at Mohs 8.5. Fine 1-carat alexandrite starts at $3,500-6,500 for Brazilian or African origin; Russian-origin stones command 2-3 times that.
What is alexandrite
Alexandrite is a color-changing variety of the mineral chrysoberyl (beryllium aluminium oxide), scoring 8.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. The color change comes from trace amounts of chromium replacing aluminium in the crystal structure — under daylight (or any blue-rich light) the stone appears teal-green to deep emerald; under incandescent light (warm yellow-red) it shifts to raspberry-red or purple. The most prized specimens show a strong, complete color shift; lower-quality stones display only a partial change.
Origin and supply
Original Russian alexandrite from the Ural Mountains is the historical benchmark — finely-grained, with the cleanest color change. The Ural mines were largely depleted by the late 19th century. Modern alexandrite comes from Brazil, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Tanzania, and India. Brazilian alexandrite (notably the 1987 Hematita discovery) produces particularly strong color change. Sri Lankan stones tend to be larger but often show less dramatic shifts.
Pricing and value
Fine alexandrite is among the most expensive colored gemstones — prices comparable to ruby and sapphire of equivalent quality. A 1-carat alexandrite with strong color change starts around $3,000–$5,000 for Brazilian or African origin, with Russian-origin stones commanding 2–3 times that. The price scales steeply with carat weight: a 3-carat fine alexandrite can run $30,000–$60,000. Color-change quality matters more than size — a small but dramatic stone often costs more than a larger weak-shift one.
