Can you tell us a little about the source of this material?
Our Brazilian Alexandrite originates from the historic deposits of Malacacheta, in the state of Minas Gerais, which is located within Brazil's renowned Eastern Pegmatite Province—one of the world’s most mineralogically diverse pegmatite belts. This region produced some of the country's finest alexandrites from the mid-1970s through the late 1980s. Today, commercial production has largely ceased, making gemstones from these classic deposits increasingly rare.
In 1987, another important deposit was discovered at Lavra da Hematita, also located in the state of Minas Gerais. This locality became known for producing exceptionally clean crystals, including rare faceted gemstones weighing over 30 carats. Together, these deposits established Brazil as one of the world's premier sources of fine natural alexandrite.
While alexandrite is also found in countries such as Russia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, India, and Zimbabwe, the Brazilian material is especially prized for its attractive green-to-red/purple color change and overall excellent clarity.
What kinds of sizes, shapes and cutting styles can be found?
Alexandrite crystallizes in the orthorhombic crystal system, typically forming blocky or tabular crystals, almost like a stretched match box, rather than elongated prisms. Twinning is common, and exceptionally rare cyclic twin crystals—known as trillings or sixlings—are among the most sought-after mineral specimens in the world.
Because fine alexandrite is extremely rare, cutters tend to prioritize preserving weight while maximizing the color-change effect, making calibrated sizes more rare. The most common shapes in the market today tend to be round, oval, cushion, and emerald cuts.
The alexandrite you will find in our inventory from this locale will range in size between 1-2mm in calibrated rounds, with some stones up to 3mm.
Is this material typically enhanced in any way?
Our Brazilian alexandrite is completely natural and untreated. You will see the natural range of both color and clarity in our stones—one of the many visible indications of their natural origin and beauty.
Unlike many colored gemstones, alexandrite is rarely heat-treated because heat does not improve its famous color-changing effect. In some cases, however, alexandrite may be resin-filled to make surface-reaching fractures and inclusions less visible so the stone appears cleaner.
It's also important to note that synthetic and imitation alexandrite are extremely common in today's market. As a result, pricing can vary dramatically. If a stone you're considering seems too good to be true, then it's important to verify whether it is natural alexandrite, laboratory-grown, or an imitation material.
Common alternatives include laboratory-grown color-change sapphire or spinel, as well as color-change nanosital, a man-made glass-ceramic material designed to mimic alexandrite's appearance. Because there are many synthetic and imitation products available, you will want to purchase from a reputable source that can clearly explain the stone's origin and any treatments it may have received. For larger or higher-value stones, we also recommend requesting an independent laboratory report.
Are there any unique characteristics you can share about this material?
Alexandrite is celebrated for one of the most extraordinary optical phenomena found in nature—what is known as the ‘alexandrite effect’. In daylight or fluorescent light, the most memorable specimens will appear green to bluish green and transform to purplish-red or raspberry-red in incandescent lighting.
This color change is caused by trace amounts of chromium within the crystal structure, which selectively absorbs different wavelengths of light. The stronger and more complete the color change, the rarer and more valuable the gemstone.
