Gemstone

Alexandrite is a variety of chrysoberyl that displays a colour change depending on light conditions and the angle it is view from (pleochroism).The ideal colour change would be fine emerald green to fine purplish red, but this is rare and expensive. Alexandrite was discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia in the 1830's, and named after tsaravitch Alexander, the future tsar. That area was mined for over 60 years and still today Russian Alexandrite is considered the best quality. Today, small quantities of Alexandrite are mined in Brazil, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Colour:Green in daylight and red-violet in incandescent light.
Hardness: 8.5