Color Changing Gem Stones - Sapphires and Alexandrites

A color changing gem stone changes color depending on different changing light sources.  The more dramatic the change in color, the rarer and more valuable it becomes.

Color Changing Sapphire

In day light, color changing sapphires change from blue to violet.  Other rarer sapphires change from green to reddish brown in incandescent lighting.  Color is the most important quality for any sapphire.  It is valued for its attractive color.  The more saturated the color, the more valuable it becomes.  As you can imagine, an inky or muddy stone is undesirable. Color changing sapphires are sometimes called alexandrite like sapphire, but these sapphires are much less expensive than alexandrites.

Color Changing Alexandrite

True Alexandrites are very rare and uncommon in modern jewelry because it is so scarce and too expensive for the general public. Surprisingly, even lower quality alexandrites are expensive and rare.  Because it is so rare, alexandrite might be more likely to be found in vintage jewelry.  As a matter of fact, alexandrites have been found in Victorian jewelry from England.  Because of its rarity they are quickly sold to collecters or museums. The best alexandrites change from bluish green to violetish pink to purple red or raspberry with fine clarity. Russia produced the highest quality alexandrite but their mines are virtuely non-existent today.  They have always been hard to find.  Now alexandrite mines are found in Brazil, (the mines produce few alexandrites), Tanzania and Madagascar.  Most alexandrites today are found in Ahadrapradesh, India.