alexandrite
gemstone
Quick Summary
chrysoberyl
A sample of the alexandrite variety of chrysoberyl.
Alexandrite is a rare and valuable gemstone, a variety of chrysoberyl. It is known for its remarkable color-changing property: appearing green in daylight and red in artificial light. This phenomenon is due to the presence of transition metal impurities within its crystal structure, which absorb certain wavelengths of light and transmit others. The gemstone was discovered in the Ural Mountains and named in honor of the Russian heir to the throne, Alexander II.123
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
