Russian Alexandrite Gemstones

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Russian Alexandrite is a gemstone found in Russia and is just as beautiful as its name sounds. It has been valued since ancient times and once belonged to Catherine the Great. Many people use this gemstone for physical health, spiritual healing, or emotional balance. It is also known as the “Russian Stone,” “Russian Emerald,” or “Orlov Sapphire.” [ARTICLE CONTINUES]

Alexandrite is a type of alexandrite. Several different alexandrites from different locations are often called Russian-alexandrites.

The name Russian-alexandrite has been given to gemstones that include alexandrite from Russia and other countries, such as Bulgaria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. A number of these stones are now produced in the Czech Republic and India. Other sources of alexandrite can be found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Burma.

Alexandrite is an intense green to yellowish color with a bluish-green area at the bottom of its spectrum. It has been regarded as one of the most powerful healing crystals and was used by Catherine the Great to heal herself from cancer. It can be used for health, protection, and spiritual healing.

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Alexandra in Russia who was born in 1798. The Paris Institute of Gemmology said, “The name Alexandrite may have been derived from this story of the Russian princess.” After Catherine the Great recovered from her illness because of alexandrite’s magical powers, she fell in love with it. She even gave it to her lover and future husband Count Orlov. Catherine the Great passed away in 1796.

Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl and originated in Russia more than 2,000 years ago. Alexandrite was discovered by Abbé Nicolas-Jacques Contant between 1778 and 1779. The French mineralogist Antoine Lavoisier discovered the stone in 1812 in his home country, France.

As with most other Alexandrite gems, the best way to judge the color of this gem is in person. Online, it is difficult to distinguish between a bright purplish-red and a bluish-pink. The gemstone’s actual hue will depend on how light passes through it and how long one looks at it; when you look at it from an angle, its color can change from purple to pink.

The gemstone’s color is due to the presence of chromium ions in the crystal structure;, chemically, it is identical to that of a ruby. But unlike rubies, which are usually mined from the ground, Russian Alexandrites are formed during the process of bonding alumina and as well as chrysolite with chromium. It also does not have any impurities or inclusions. And, like red rubies, it is fairly rare and expensive.

It is one of the most expensive and valuable gemstones in the world; some ‘factory’ gems are so bad that they can be identified as non-Russian Alexandrites by their poor color or shape alone. Russian Alexandrites are also relatively hard to master, requiring considerable knowledge and skill to clean and cut properly. As a result, they are often used in cutting and engraving.

A Russian Alexandrite is a beautiful gemstone that can be polished into an array of shapes:

classic simple round brilliant cut (also known as “lotus”) with strong flashes of color perfectly rounded faceted crystals accented by the inclusion of light in its structure or used as a rough stone for polishing. It is also used as a faceted stone.

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