It is no secret that alexandrites are one of the rarest gemstones in the world. Long prized for their color-changing ability, natural alexandrite is becoming increasingly rare. And those with strong color shift and considerable size are even rarer. However, the few that have been found are quite notable and therefore earned their place in many prominent private collections and museums. So, we have brought here for you some of those exceptional and famous alexandrite gems.
The Whitney Alexandrite
The Whitney Alexandrite weighs a whopping 17.08 carats and was found in the prestigious Minas Gerais mine in Brazil. It is notable not only for its significant size but also for its dramatic and rich color change. It displays a blue/green color under sunlight and a purplish-red under incandescent light.
The alexandrite was donated to the Smithsonian National Museum in 2009, by gemologist Coralyn Whitney, whom the alexandrite was named after.
Sauer Alexandrite
Like many world-famous gemstones, the Sauer Alexandrite is steeped in legend and mystery. Discovered in 1967 in Bahia, Brazil, the Sauer Alexandrite is the world’s largest uncut Alexandrite. It weighs a massive 122,400 carats (or approximately 54 pounds)! The Sauer Alexandrite received its name after its discoverer, jeweler and collector Jules Roger Sauer. It was put on display in Sauer’s own museum in 1989.
It remained on display until 2017, when sadly it was removed following Sauer’s passing away. Since then, the whereabouts of the massive alexandrite are unknown. The museum staff are either unaware of the alexandrite’s existence or refuse to discuss it.
The Smithsonian’s Alexandrite
A famous alexandrite from Sri Lanka weighing about 65.7carats is the largest faceted alexandrite. Currently, it resides at the Smithsonian Institution since it’s an exceptional stone. However, a majority of alexandrites weigh under one carat. In spite of the huge size of this stone, it displays a remarkable color shift. These two uncommon attributes of the Smithsonian’s alexandrite undoubtedly makes it the king of alexandrites.
Fun Fact: Alexandrite in Japan
Outside of Russia, the most prestigious alexandrite mines are in Brazil. The 1980s was a booming era for Brazilian alexandrites but the Brazilian deposits have depleted in recent years. Some of the world’s finest alexandrites were mined in Brazil during the ’80s and astonishingly the vast majority of them were sold in Japan. From 1980 to 2000. Japan was the largest market for high-quality Brazilian alexandrites. And even later it remained one of the most significant consumer markets of alexandrites.
Shop Alexandrites @ GemsNY
Most of us haven’t seen these famous alexandrites up-close. But if their beauty fascinates you, then you should browse the collection at GemsNY. Besides alexandrites, you can also pick diamonds, rubies, emeralds etc. in their natural & lab avatars. Shop today for exciting offers!
