Alexandrite
Wholesale alexandrite — buying guide for the trade
The famous colour-change chrysoberyl: green in daylight, red in incandescent light. Top stones from the original Russian Ural deposit are among the rarest gems on earth.
Key properties
- Mineral
- Chrysoberyl (BeAlâ‚‚Oâ‚„)
- Hardness
- 8.5 (Mohs)
- Key origins
- Russia (historic), Sri Lanka, Brazil, Tanzania, India
- Typical treatments
- None standard — synthetics common, declare!
What to look for when buying wholesale
- Strength of colour change is everything: 100% (full) is the trade benchmark.
- Synthetic and simulated alexandrite is everywhere — always require lab confirmation.
- Russian provenance commands a 3–5× premium and SSEF/Gübelin reports are the trade standard.
Certification guidance
Any natural alexandrite over USD 1,500 should travel with a recent independent lab report stating natural origin and colour-change percentage.
Treatment disclosure
Natural alexandrite is almost never treated; synthetics are the main risk and must always be disclosed.
Typical wholesale price tiers
| Tier | Wholesale | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial | $300–$2,000 / ct | Weak colour change, included |
| Fine | $2,000–$15,000 / ct | Strong change, eye-clean |
| Exceptional | $15,000–$100,000+ / ct | Russian, 100% change, large sizes |
Prices are indicative wholesale-to-trade ranges. Actual offers depend on origin, certification and supply at the time of enquiry.
Cuts and shapes
Alexandrite is faceted into the same core shapes seen across coloured stones and diamonds — round, oval, cushion, emerald-cut, pear, radiant, princess, asscher, marquise and heart — plus antique cuts such as old mine and old European, most associated with period diamond jewellery. See the full Cut Library →
Looking for a specific alexandrite?
Alexandrite isn't heavily stocked on Chaos's live marketplace right now. Post a sourcing request instead — Chaos's dealer network is alerted directly and can quote against what you actually need, rather than what happens to be listed today.