| p>The origin of alexandrite is shrouded in | | | | autocrat to the core - destined to be |
| somewhat of a mystery. Delivered up from the | | | | assassinated in 1881.) |
| Ural Mountains near the Tokovaya River, it is | | | | There is little doubt that no matter how |
| popularly believed that alexandrite was discovered | | | | alexandrite got its name, its colors had a hand in |
| by the Finnish mineralogist Nils Gustaf | | | | the decision, since green and red are the |
| Nordenskjöld on April 17, 1834. This was the | | | | traditional colors of Imperial Russia. |
| 16th birthday of the future Tsar Alexander II of | | | | Through the years, besides being used by Russian |
| Russia. Nordenskjöld is said to have named | | | | master jewelers, no less a gemologist than |
| the new gem in the boy's honor. However, a | | | | Tiffany's George Fredrick Kunz was particularly |
| contrary story holds that some time before the | | | | taken by the beauty and form of alexandrite. He |
| date in question, Nordenskjöld was | | | | produced a number of masterpieces using |
| examining mineral samples that had been sent to | | | | alexandrite at the end of the 19th and beginning |
| him by Count Leo Aleksevich Petrovski, a Russian | | | | of the 20th century. |
| noble. At first, Nordenskjöld thought gem to | | | | For a beautiful selection of gemstone rings and |
| be an emerald. Later in the day, under artificial | | | | rich knowledgeable gemstone jewelry articles, visit |
| light, he noted the color change and correctly | | | | from Apples of Gold Jewelry. |
| recognized it as a new variety of chrysoberyl. He | | | | Apples of Gold Jewelry has launched it's new |
| suggested that the new stone be called | | | | section of gemstone jewelry articles with rich |
| 'diaphanite' - from the Greek "to or two show | | | | insight on all major natural gemstones, such as the |
| through" - the root of our word 'diaphanous'. | | | | ruby, emerald, and sapphire gems, as well as |
| Petrovski, imperially minded, patriotic Russian that | | | | articles on tanzanite jewelry, amethyst rings, |
| he was, saw to it that the new gem would be | | | | pearls, pink sapphire rings, onyx jewelry, topaz |
| brought to public light as alexandrite - for the | | | | jewelry, aquamarine rings, peridot rings and garnet |
| recently come-of-age tsarevich. (Just as a side | | | | gems. |
| note, Alexander II came to the throne at the | | | | With expert insight and research on the major |
| height of the Crimean War. Although sometimes | | | | gems, Apples of Gold Jewelry is a valuable |
| cited as a relative liberal, Alexander was an | | | | authority on gemstone jewelry. |