If you’re looking for an elusive and rare gemstone ring, or if you’re simply shopping for someone born during the month of June, then you’ve almost certainly come to the right place, MyPearls has an exciting collection of Alexandrite Rings. An alexandrite ring could be exactly what you’re looking for, it’s the perfect gift for almost any occasion. Alexandrite is traditionally the birthstone for anyone born in June, but it’s also the gem for the 55th wedding anniversary. We think alexandrite is so special that it’s well worth considering as a promise ring, wedding ring or engagement ring.
What is Alexandrite?
Alexandrite Colour Options
This rare and exciting gem possesses the unique ability to change depending on the type of lighting available. During the day when exposed to natural sunlight, its colours can range from green, blue, yellow and brown. Under artificial light, its colours can range from a bright red, to purple and orange. Due to this colour changing feature, the stone has been affectionately referred to as the stone which is “emerald by day, ruby by night”.
Alexandrite Cuts
Like most other gemstones, alexandrite can be cut and shaped into any style required. Even though the gems hardness is rated as 8.5, jewellers tools and methods allow the stone to be shaped to almost any shape, including cushion, square, round, oval, pear, trillion, heart and much more becides.
Alexandrite History
This beautiful gemstone has an unusual and contested history. There are basically two competing schools of thought regarding the stones discovery. The most likely theory is that French Mineralist Nils Gustaf Nordenskiöld discovered the gem in 1834 during an expedition to Russia’s Usal Mountains. Initially it was thought that alexandrite was an emerald, which was understandable as the Ural mountain region was a known source of emeralds, and contained several emerald mines. Once confirmed as a new type of gemstone, the name Alexandrite was chosen in order to please the Russian Czar Alexander. More fanciful and less likely theories suggest that the stone was discovered on the same day that the future tsar of Russia came of age. Alexandrite was even declared the national gemstone of the Imperial Russia’s Tsardom. It’s for this reason that Russia’s national colours continue to be green and red, even to this day.
For a number of years it was thought that Russia was the only source of Alexandrite on the planet, but in recent decades substantial deposits of the gems have been discovered in other regions around the world. Unfortunately, the mines of Russia have mostly been drained of their Alexandrite, we now need to look to countries such as Brazil, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Madagascar and the East African region. Sadly, most of the newer Alexandrite deposits are not as enchanting as the Russian equivalent, the colours are less vivid, they don’t change colour as much depending on the light source, the colour changes are less dramatic and the hues are less vivid.
Alexandrite Healing & Beliefs
In some spiritual circles, this stunning stone has long been linked with discipline, concentration and self-control. It is believed by some that alexandrite possesses the ability to increase an individual’s learning ability and is capable of promoting deeper and better concentration, so take note for any students out there. Someone which wears an alexandrite ring is said to have increased self-control, augmented natural talents and are believed to pursue excellence in all things academic. Aside from alexandrite’s amazing properties, beryl gemstones have long been associated with peaceful minds, clarity of thought, enhanced creativity and increased self-belief and confidence. The stones are capable of repelling bad energy while acting as a conduit and magnet for positive energy, funnelling good energy from the surrounding area into the wearer. Russian legends state that the gem has the ability to bring good fortune to the wearer and guaranteed luck when it comes to relationships and love. In addition, the stone can act as a link between the spiritual and physical world, allowing for increased awareness of the spirituality of all living things. Alexandrite is also the birthstone for June and anyone wearing it can benefit from the associated astrological energy.
Ever since its discovery, alexandrite has long been used in various crystal healing practises. So in addition to its miraculous ability to improve one’s learning ability and increase spiritual awareness, it’s also been used to treat issues with hearing and the inner ear, as well as problems with the lymph nodes and improve blood circulation.
Regardless of whether or not you believe this, the gem obviously holds sway in alternative healing circles and can make for an interesting talking point.
Alexandrite Ring Care
Alexandrite is well known as a resilient, strong and hard gem, which can easily be worn every day without any concerns. However, even though the stone is hard wearing, it still needs to be treated and cared for correctly. The easiest and best way to clean an alexandrite ring is to place it in a bowl with warm water and a very small amount of mild soap. When washing the ring with the soapy solution a soft cloth should be used, or alternatively, a very soft bristled child’s toothbrush can be used to get into the nooks and crannies. Once cleaned, rinse the ring with freshwater to wash away any residue or leftover soapy water and gently pat the ring dry with a soft cloth or paper towel. Leave the ring to air dry out of direct sunlight and away from an intense heat sources. It’s important to ensure harsh cleaning agents are not used, as these may cause irreparable damage to the alexandrite ring.
Using more advanced cleaning methods such as ultrasonic cleaners or steam should be safe to do with an alexandrite ring, the stone is hard enough to undergo such treatments, so it shouldn’t cause any issues. But as with any new cleaning method, it’s best to understand the process thoroughly and to consult with an expert if required.
Even if you care and clean your ring regularly, it’s still worthwhile having it professionally cleaned and polished once a year.
To maximise the lifespan of the ring and to avoid inadvertent damage, it’s advisable to remove the ring before doing anything physical with your hands. For example, if you’re an keen amateur car mechanic, enjoy the odd spot of DIY or even wash the dishes occasionally, then it’s probably best to remove the ring before these activities. It’s unlikely you’ll damage the gemstone, but you might damage the setting or knock it loose.
Avoid trying to adjust the gemstone within the setting unless you have experience doing so. If you feel the gem is lose it’s probably best having an expert take a look, a well-intentioned adjustment may inadvertently loosen the gem further, and could result in losing the Alexandrite from the ring.
Lastly, since alexandrite is an exceptionally hard gem, you’ll want to be extra careful when wearing it with additional rings. The stone can easily scratch or damage any stone with a lesser hardness rating, or alternatively damage the metal finish on other rings. We would recommend investing in a proper jewellery storage box in order to keep the alexandrite secure and unable to damage any other pieces of jewellery.
from
https://www.mypearls.co.uk/blogs/news/13-brilliant-alexandrite-rings
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