Alexandrite the Great – June’s Imperial Stone 

June has three traditional birthstones – pearl, moonstone and a most exotic and rare gemstone – the Alexandrite.

Legend tells of miners in the Ural Mountains who discovered stones that looked like emeralds, but when they took them back to camp that night, the stones shone red by the campfire light. However, the next morning these unusual “emeralds” shone green again. The miners had discovered a new gemstone and named it Alexandrite after Prince Alexander of Russia,

who was to become Czar Alexander II.

 

Alexandrite are extremely desirable because of their enchanting chameleon-like personality of changing color based on the lighting. In daylight, the stone is a beautiful green, sometimes with a bluish cast or a brownish tint. Under a glowing light source, such as candlelight, the stone turns reddish-violet.  Red and green were the imperial Russian colors, giving the alexandrite the meaning of imperial power and domination.