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ALEXANDRITE
Natural Chrysoberyl

Color change from yellowish, brownish, grayish, or bluish green in daylight or fluorescent light to orangy or brownish red to purplish red in incandescent light. Vitreous to subadamantine polish luster, conchoidal fracture with greasy to vitreous fracture luster.
Might show fingerprints, angular included crystals, negative crystals,liquid inclusions, needle-like inclusions, or twinning
Key tests are appearance of color change, RI, pleochroism, and spectrum. Magnification separates natural from synthetic alexandrite. Warm colour change is mostly seen in Sri Lankan material.
R.I.
Bir.
1.746 to 1.755 (+0.004/-0.006)
0.008 to 0.010
DR
S.G
3.73 (+/-0.02)
9
LW:
none, red
SW:
none, red
BeAl₂O₄
orthorhombic

Brazil, Sri Lanka, Russia, Tanzania, India
Not commonly treated, oil filling possible.
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