One Gem, Two Colors

This is the same alexandrite gem in two different colors! It shows beautiful color change from daylight (left) to lamp light (right). - Photo © GIA and Tino Hammid, courtesy Mayer & Watt

Alexandrite Butterfly Pin

This beautiful butterfly pin has a Russian alexandrite as its body. Its eyes are also alexandrite and they are from Tanzania. The wings have diamonds and other gems from Tanzania and Madagascar. - Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy Buzz Gray and Bernadine Johnston

Rough Alexandrite

Even in its rough form, this alexandrite shows very pretty color change. - Photo by Maha Tannous/GIA

Low Saturation

This color-change alexandrite has low saturation in both its red and green colors. “Low saturation” means there is not enough color in the stone. This makes it a little brownish and less valuable. - Photo courtesy Alan Jobbins

A Tiny Crystal Inside

This is a tiny apatite crystal decorating the inside of this alexandrite from Brazil. - Photo by John I. Koivula/GIA, courtesy Robert Van Wagoner

Alexandrite’s Change of Color

Because Alexandrite changes color under different lights, it has been known as “emerald by day (sunlight) and ruby by night (candle light).” - Photo © Robert Weldon, courtesy Evan Caplan Fine Gemstones

A Large Alexandrite

This is a 43-carat alexandrite in the collection of the British Museum. It is about the size of a grape. Now that’s big! - Photo © Natural History Museum, London.

Cat’s Eye

Sometimes alexandrite displays a phenomenon called cat’s eye. The scientific name for the cat’s eye effect is chatoyancy. - Photo by Elizabeth Schrader/GIA

Rough Crystal

The reason most cut and polished alexandrites are small is that most alexandrite crystals are, too. This 1 centimeter-sized crystal is said to be from Madagascar. - Photo courtesy M. Glas

Alexandrite’s Color Change

See the amazing color change in this awesome gemstone!

Visible Inclusions

This Russian alexandrite is 2.85-carats. Notice the eye-visible inclusions. The gems, though, are big enough and of high quality, so they don’t take away from its beauty. - Photo by Robert Weldon/GIA, courtesy Dr. Eduard J. Gübelin Collection

Cat’s Eye in Jewelry

Many parallel needle-like inclusions can cause a beautiful cat’s eye effect in alexandrite. - Photo by Tino Hammid/GIA