Post subject: The difference between created alexandrite and natural?
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 10:33 am
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Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 1:52 pm Posts: 3
Hey guys,
One of my favorite things about alexandrite is how, in regular lighting conditions, it is teal but you get some purple fire or flashes or purple facets. I was wondering if this quality is apparent in synthetic or created alexandrite as well?
Post subject: Re: The difference between created alexandrite and natural?
Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2012 2:30 pm
Site Admin
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:27 pm Posts: 1750
Alexandrite should change from green to red. The colours you describe seem to me to better belong to colour change synthetic sapphire. This is made as an imitation of alexandrite and is much cheaper.
Natural and synthetic alexandrite share the exact same chemical and optical properties. (This is the gemmological definition of "synthetic".) In other words synthetic alexandrite is "real" alexandrite. It was born in a lab though instead of grown in the ground.
Both synthetic and natural alexandrite should change colour from an emerald green to a ruby red though different quality may show variations on this, though the variations are more likely to be differences in saturation or tone...NOT in hue.
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