Gemstone
Alexandrite
Alexandrite is gem-quality color-change chrysoberyl (BeAl₂O₄), the classical color-change benchmark, discovered in the Russian Ural Mountains in 1830. Different mineral species from Zultanite (color-change diaspore), different hardness (8.5 vs 6.5–7 Mohs), and different price band — alexandrite trades at USD 5,000–70,000+/ct, an order of magnitude above Zultanite. This hub indexes Zultpedia entries comparing alexandrite with Zultanite as a reference benchmark.
-
Gem Comparison
Zultanite vs Alexandrite — Two Gems, One Phenomenon, Different Propositions
Zultanite (color-change diaspore) and alexandrite (color-change chrysoberyl) are mineralogically unrelated species that produce a similar visual phenomenon — the alexandrite effect — through different chemistries. Alexandrite is harder (8.5 vs 6.5–7 Mohs),…
-
Gem Article
The Color-Change Phenomenon in Zultanite — How and Why It Works
The color-change phenomenon in Zultanite — properly called the alexandrite effect — is a perceptual outcome of selective light absorption, not a property of the stone changing. Trace iron and chromium ions…