The debate continues as to what origin produces the finest stones. While Russia has been thought of as "the place", we know from experience that the quality of the specimen is what matters, not the origin. Some Russian specimens are unattractive, just as are some stones from other origins. Brazil produces some of the most beautiful and often expensive alexandrites ever found, and equally fine alexandrite specimens have come from Sri-Lanka and India.
Now, it is important for those of us who know alexandrite to dispell a prevalent myth. Gemological experts agree that contrary to what many people believe, it is extremely uncommon for an alexandrite to change color from green to ruby red! There is a wide range of lovely colors to be seen in these amazing stones and the few that do change from deep green to burgundy are often dark in tone or cloudy or included, that many consider them unattractive. It is important to note that the old saying "emerald by day, ruby by night" was coined in the days when candlight or firelight were the only sources of artificial lighting available. By the light of a candle or flame most alexandrites will exhibit considerable reddish tones due to the abundance of yellow rays of light in the flame, but not under bright incandescent bulbs! Fine alexandrite normally shows some shade of blue/violet by only the light of regular bulbs or in the shade, while remaining mostly green under mixed incandescent and sunlight/fluorescent lighting. What you should look for in an alexandrite is a teal, emerald or forest green in natural daylight or fluorescent light, ideally changing to a muted soft amethyst purple under regular incandescent bulbs, but more often a blue violet is seen somewhere in between the color of a Ceylon sapphire and a tanzanite. The color of a alexandrite will deepen to plum by very low light. Dim the lights altogether and pink, red or lovely magenta highlights will be evident by the light of a candle or flashlight, which is the true test of color change and a gemologist grading an alexandrite will not be able to see the full and complete color change unless this is done! Under brighter incandescent lighting lovely blue hues are seen in many specimens, ranging from sky to sapphire depending on the depth of color in the alexandrite stone. Of one thing you can be sure ~ every alexandrite is an individual and it is rare to find two that display exactly the same colors under a variety of lighting conditions. This is an attractive characteristic of the gem which makes it all the more endearing to collectors. Even though "seeing the purple" seems to be important to many buyers, some of us think the gorgeous emerald like green of a fine alexandrite is the most beautiful shade! An alexandrite with excellent clarity will often show a less dramatic color change than one which has at least a few inclusions, or "silk". Many people are very satisfied with a milder color change in favor of better clarity.
Do not expect natural alexandrites to show the same brilliance as diamonds or synthetic stones, as they have a different crystal structure and refractive index. Sometimes buyers have an idea of what they think an alexandrite should look like, often from having seen only lab-created stones, which leads to disappointment when they actually see a natural stone. Classified by the Gemological Institute of America as a Type 2 gemstone, even the best alexandrite specimens are expected to contain loupe visible inclusions and clarity as well as cut should be a secondary consideration when purchasing an alexandrite. "Color over clarity" is a good rule of thumb, but be flexible as again, the stones with better clarity will generally show a less dramatic change. Alexandrite is by density a rather heavy stone, therefore it will normally appear smaller in size than a diamond of the same carat weight. A tough stone of 8.5 on the hardness scale, it is fairly resistant to ultrasonic and other cleaning methods making it an excellent choice for an everyday ring or favorite piece of jewelry. Its durability ensures that even moderately included specimens can be safely worn as jewelry with little or no danger of breakage.
What really makes these gems so valuable is their extreme rarity in the finer quality specimens. It is estimated that less than one person in 100,000 will ever see a natural alexandrite in their lifetime! Fine white diamonds outnumber natural alexandrites by the millions. Plus, the Russian mines were closed for decades after the fall of the imperial dynasty. Hence, there has been much controversy in recent years as to whether the natural stones are available at all, and at what price. We have become established as a unique source of fine custom jewelry featuring this precious alexandrite gem. Those born in June can now have their true birthstone in jewelry! No longer is alexandrite an untouchable dream and you don't have to settle for lab-created color changing corrundum, which has been commonly sold for decades as "created alexandrite" or "Mexican alexandrite" and more recently as "alexandrite doublet". Lab-created "alexandrite" is pretty and looks attractive in jewelry, but let's face it ~ a color change from pink to purple or blue to purple isn't much of a color change at all! A natural alexandrite will always display a shade of green in daylight. We strive to offer you the best in service and value and we do not print up grossly inflated appraisals or price tags. In addition, we stock not only alexandrite but other varieties of precious and semi-precious gemstones as well. Rest assured our name is Island Coast Creations because we design and manufacture fine jewelry, and not because we deal in lab-created stones; we won't sell a synthetic stone unless clearly stated as such. Please email us with any questions.
A Unique Source
The purchase of a fine Natural Alexandrite is not something you do everyday and likely requires much thought and probably many questions. Located on the shores of the beautiful Gulf of Mexico where turquoise waters meet the sunset, Island Coast Creations has become a unique source of fine custom quality alexandrite jewelry including rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Our jewelry is painstakingly crafted and never mass-produced! We carefully sort and select our alexandrite gems to compliment one another for each piece of jewelry. This is a creative and time consuming process and is why you will see fewer of our items listed at any time. Also, many of our items are priceless one of a kind, antique or vintage pieces which can never be duplicated! We design jewelry to suit the fine tastes of gentlemen as well as ladies. It all comes together at Island Coast Creations. If you plan to be in southwest Florida you're welcome to come by and see part of our Natural Alexandrite jewelry collection in a local gallery display. If you dread going into most jewelry stores because of the stuffy attitudes of the staff, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the relaxed difference you'll find at the island gallery!

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