Need Opinion on Russian Alexandrite

[tanzelf]

Hi, I have recently acquired an 1800's Victorian Alexandrite ring. The alex is confirmed Russian, natural, and has a strong 100% color change. I am completely in love with it, but I do not know how to value it. I have tried to extensively research Russian alexandrites but cannot find any pictures to compare because they are so rare. I own a few other natural alex's but they are Indian and Brazilian and the colors are so different from the Russian. I would really appreciate anyone's opinion on the color and what the value of the ring may be. The stone is not huge, it is a 6x4mm .53ct rose cut oval. I will post a few pictures to try to show the colors. Thank you in advance for your opinions.


This is just a quick pic I snapped as soon as I got home with it. I just used my keychain LED light and the background is the back of my mousepad. lol




This picture was taken under incandescent light. Not the best showing of the reddish color, but it will do. PS: Sorry for the 2 fibers in the photo. This was before its proper cleaning, it was quite dirty.

 

[T L]

What lab confirmed it as natural alexandrite?

Can you clean it and retake your photos. It's very cloudy and looks extremely included as a result.

The checkerboard cutting is a concern. I don't believe the stone is original to the ring because they didn't do that kind of cutting back then.

 

[LD]

I have posted on your other thread also so may want to report this thread / or the other one so it's deleted to avoid confusion? You can do this by pressing the "report" button

Ok, in terms of your ring. Can I ask how you're sure it's an Alexandrite and then also how it's Russian? One of my "specialities" if you can call it that, is Alexandrite so I can probably help but your photos are giving me some concern so I just want to clarify how you know what the stone is. Photos are not conclusive with Alexandrite but do give an indication which is why I need to know which Lab has verified the stone before commenting.

 

[chrono]

The setting looks authentic but I have doubts about the alexandrite.

1. Who confirmed that it is a natural stone and that it is of Russian origin? The lab, an appraiser or the seller? If it is an appraiser or seller, I would question that because I do not know their credentials and experience. If it is a lab, is it a reputable lab or some unknown lab?

2. Is the colour indeed green as pictured?
I have not seen a pure green colour change and those that I've seen tend to have a blue modifier or some grayness or even both. The change should be purplish red indoors to slightly bluish green outdoors. Although trying to ID via photographs is not definitive, knowing this will at least give you some idea whether it might be real or will completely rule it out.

3. I have not seen 1800 jewellery with checkerboard cuts. Traditional flat faceting was done then. This clues me in that the original stone has most likely been removed. What I see is not a rose cut stone, but a more modern cut.

 

[tanzelf]

Thanks for your responses. The seller is very reputable and promised me that it was tested by him in his mini lab and it tested as natural alexandrite. I was also told by the seller that the alexandrite was truely from the victorian period and not redone in any way. I did not know that checkerboard cuts werent used back then, so this is very enlightening to me. I actually am not a fan of this cut and do not know why anyone would cut such a precious gem this way. I just figured it was the style back then.
The seller suggested it was Russian and my jeweler also thought it would be Russian because of its age and that a lot of Russian alexandrites were used in Victorian period jewelry. I am actually kind of surprised to see that a few of you though it was fake. I have a few fake alex's too and I thought they showwed more "fake" colors. Thanks for your input as I am now starting to doubt this was original to the ring even though everything looks legit.

Here is a picture I took of it at sunset.



PS: I reported the twin thread.

 

[tanzelf]

As to the green color, it is definitely not blue in any way. It seems to be a bit of a yellowish or olive green, very much like a diopside. And the red is like a deep raspberry red and in certain lighting can look yellowish amber brown.

 

[partgypsy]

Even small alexandrites can be quite expensive. It seems worth sending to get an AGL report to know for insurance/valuation purposes.

 

[LD]

Ok, I am just about to post a piece on Alexandrite because your thread is common unfortunately. Your jeweller and the seller are unfortunately not informed about Alexandrite (from the information they've given you). There are so many red flags in what they've said

When I looked at your photos my first thoughts were (and this hasn't changed at all):-

1. The colour looks "off" - now I appreciate that with any gem identification from a photo is very difficult and with alexandrite it's even worse than that BUT the fact that you've managed to photograph a green colour with an LED light is suggestive that there's something not right.

2. The cut - definitely not from the period the seller/jeweller have stated. Also, you very rarely (if ever) see checkboard cut alexandrites. Cuts preserve weight to keep gemstones over the 1ct mark due to the price of the gem. Cutting in a checkboard style doesn't make sense. I guess it's not impossible but it's a red flag.

3. The clarity looks peculiar for an Alex. Sometimes they look murky but yours looks almost like a tourmaline (although it won't be because of the colour change).

4. As for it being Russian? No way. These are so exceptionally rare.

5. 100% colour change? Very few Alex have that although synthetic corundum laced with vanadium, flux and pulled synthetics do have.

The problem is that Alexandrite is so rare that most jewellers have normally never seen it or if they have, they've only seen one or two. If they are a gemologist then they MIGHT have the ability to state whether it's a natural Alex but I once sent one I thought was synthetic to a lab who had to send it to another lab for confirmation so .....................

Sorry - I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news. At best it's an Alex but it's definitely not Russian - although because of the other indicators I don't think it's even an Alex. At worst you have a synthetic.

 

[soberguy]

I would send it to a lab for certification. Who does origin on alexandrites?

 

[T L]

Thanks for your responses. The seller is very reputable and promised me that it was tested by him in his mini lab and it tested as natural alexandrite.

I'm sorry, but even the most reputable sellers can be duped. There are two main kinds of non-natural "alexandrite" floating out there. There is the the synthetic material which has the same chemical composition as natural alexandrite, and synthetic color change corundum, which is probably the fake alexandrite that you've seen before. It goes from blue to pinkish purple. There are other simulants to alexandrite, but those are the two most common. I would send the ring to AGL for a $55 fast track gem identification brief. They'll be able to tell you what it is, and if it's not natural, they won't issue a lab brief.

BTW, not all alexandrite is very valuable, some are, and some are not. A great many factors are necessary to determine the true value of a fine alexandrite. High quality alexandrite is extremely rare, and even if your stone pans out to be natural, don't expect that it may also be worth a great deal.

You should study more about this stone before making future purchases. If on the market for a fine alexandrite, one should see a fine stone in person, but unfortunately, fine alex is so rare that even many museums have mediocre pieces.

 

[chrono]

AGL will issue an origin report for an added fee. Not sure if GIA does; I think they do but after GIA mistook a synthetic alexandrite for a natural stone, I'd rather send it to AGL.

 

[tanzelf]

I appreciate everyone's input. I will definitely be sending this to the AGL. I have researched a lot on Alexandrites but always found it hard to find much info on true Russians so I took for granted this was true because I have never really seen one and the colors were so different from the bluish green/purplish pink I have always seen before. I would love to know the whole truth to this ring. Thank you.

 

[T L]

AGL will issue an origin report for an added fee. Not sure if GIA does; I think they do but after GIA mistook a synthetic alexandrite for a natural stone, I'd rather send it to AGL.

True, but I also wanted to mention that like any origin that has a premium, there's probably poor quality Russian alexandrite as well. In this case, it might not be worth it to get an origin if the stone is poor quality. Chris Smith at AGL can advise on that if he looks at the stone. He's pretty straightforward and honest.

 

[T L]

I appreciate everyone's input. I will definitely be sending this to the AGL. I have researched a lot on Alexandrites but always found it hard to find much info on true Russians so I took for granted this was true because I have never really seen one and the colors were so different from the bluish green/purplish pink I have always seen before. I would love to know the whole truth to this ring. Thank you.

Synthetic color change corundum - a simulant for alexandrite.

 

[LD]

Tanzelf - the colours of Russian material are very similar to Brazilian. I do hope you find out what the gem is.

I've just posted a thread because your question isnt uncommon on this forum and I thought it might be useful to have info in one place! BTW only a tiny amount was mined in the Urals and most gemologists and collectors have never seen any! i've collected Alex for over 20 years and have only seen one piece.

 

[T L]

Tanzelf - the colours of Russian material are very similar to Brazilian. I do hope you find out what the gem is.

I've just posted a thread because your question isnt uncommon on this forum and I thought it might be useful to have info in one place! BTW only a tiny amount was mined in the Urals and most gemologists and collectors have never seen any! i've collected Alex for over 20 years and have only seen one piece.

I have a 20 pointer which is supposedly Russian but I never had that confirmed. It goes from forest green to a burgundy red. I've never seen one, no matter how fine, go from the reported "emerald green" to "ruby red." I think that's just some mythology surrounding these stones. Here's a famous photo of a confirmed fine Russian alexandrite. I think the colors are pretty accurate for how a nice alex should change color. Also note the tone. I see way too many "black hole" alexandrites. It's important that they're also not plagued with extinction.

http://www.palagems.com/Images/Bancroft_Russia_Alexandrite/alexandrite_1.29ct.jpg

 

[LD]

Tanzelf - the colours of Russian material are very similar to Brazilian. I do hope you find out what the gem is.

I've just posted a thread because your question isnt uncommon on this forum and I thought it might be useful to have info in one place! BTW only a tiny amount was mined in the Urals and most gemologists and collectors have never seen any! i've collected Alex for over 20 years and have only seen one piece.

I have a 20 pointer which is supposedly Russian but I never had that confirmed. It goes from forest green to a burgundy red. I've never seen one, no matter how fine, go from the reported "emerald green" to "ruby red." I think that's just some mythology surrounding these stones. Here's a famous photo of a confirmed fine Russian alexandrite. I think the colors are pretty accurate for how a nice alex should change color. Also note the tone. I see way too many "black hole" alexandrites. It's important that they're also not plagued with extinction.

http://www.palagems.com/Images/Bancroft_Russia_Alexandrite/alexandrite_1.29ct.jpg

TL - that's the famous Tino Hammid photo. Unfortunately that gem has hardly even been seen so I'm not sure how representational it is of the correct colour. Certainly if accurate that's the most red of any ever seen (hence why it's so famous). The daylight colour however is a really good representation of what a good one should look like. I'd give my eye teeth to see this gem but it never has an outing!!!

 

[tanzelf]

I'm glad to finally see a photo of a true Russian. I just read the thread on Alex's. Thanks for posting that great information for everyone who is confused about their alex. It does have inclusions and in reality isn't really murky. I'm definitely curious to see what I really bought. Thanks.