About Alexandrite Tsarstone Collectors Guide
" Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968), Strength to Love, 1963
Alexandrite Tsarstone Collectors Guide is a non-commercial project developed as a guide for people interested in learning more about the history, gemology and valuation of alexandrite gemstones.
For an expensive stone like alexandrite, knowledge is essential to making the correct choice. Many jewelers are specialized in diamonds or gold but because of its rarity, it is not surprising that even gemologists are less familiar with alexandrite. The site is not a substitute for experience but it is an invaluable guide especially for beginners or first time buyers. Alexandrite is an expensive gemstone that interested buyers should know how to evaluate and appreciate before purchasing.
The primary goal of the Alexandrite Tsarstone Collectors Guide is to establish a comprehensive resource, dedicated to alexandrite gemstone and to create an open community with the free exchange of information. With frequent inquiries about old and inherited alexandrites from Alexandria and other places, the series of articles was written to address and clarify these and other questions about this rare and collectable gemstone as well as provide help with evaluating some common and important aspects of natural alexandrite, avoid fraud, with tips on detecting synthetic and imitation alexandrites and to understand challenge in valuation of alexandrite in terms of its value based on color change, cut, size, color and artistic appeal rather than only on its clarity and price.
Alexandrite Tsarstone Collectors Guide includes a collection of articles about alexandrite, a directory of alexandrite localities with maps, an alexandrite gemstone gallery, forum designed to get answers for common questions and directory of organisations proved helpful in identification, appraisal and purchase of alexandrite gemstone.
Most content is created and written collaboratively by contributors and volunteers and we encourage everyone with a passion for alexandrite to help us build a better resource by participating in discussions, submitting references and by listing your own alexandrite gemstones in our gemstones database.
Primary Contributors
| David Weinberg | Kim Farnell
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Please note, that alexandrite is especially difficult to photograph. Not only does the color change as a result of illumination under different kinds of light sources, but it also varies as a result of geographical location and time of day. Photographers can maximize the observable color change by obstructing any unintentional ambient light so that the resulting image is a function of a singular unmixed light source.
Cool daylight tubes (around 6000K) for daylight colors and studio or photo flood lights (3300 - 3500K) as an incandescent light source will always produce a good change. Natural daylight is more difficult to use unless the time of day is standardized and even then, the weather will still be a factor. Morning light will display the best greens and the stone will appear less green and more reddish in the late afternoon, especially in direct sunlight.
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