Alexandrite as a June Birthstone
Alexandrite as a June Birthstone
The colour-change chrysoberyl and its place in the modern birthstone calendar
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Alexandrite is one of three recognised birthstones for June, alongside pearl and moonstone. It was added to the official modern birthstone list in 1952 by the Jewellery Industry Council — now operating as Jewelers of America — as a contemporary alternative that acknowledged both the gem's extraordinary optical phenomenon and the growing availability of material from Brazilian deposits in the post-war period. Both the GIA and the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) recognise alexandrite as a legitimate June option, though pearl retains its status as the traditional and most widely known stone for the month.
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Why Alexandrite Was Added
The 1952 revision of the birthstone list was the first major update to the calendar since the American National Retail Jewelers Association standardised it in 1912. Alexandrite's inclusion reflected a mid-century appetite for durable, facetable gemstones as alternatives to the organic materials — pearl and moonstone — that had long defined June. Alexandrite's hardness of 8.5 on the Mohs scale, its rarity, and above all its dramatic colour-change phenomenon made it a compelling candidate. Brazilian deposits, particularly those in the state of Minas Gerais, had by the 1940s and 1950s brought meaningful quantities of facetable alexandrite to international markets for the first time since the near-exhaustion of the original Russian deposits in the Ural Mountains.
The Colour-Change Phenomenon
Alexandrite is a chromium-bearing variety of the mineral chrysoberyl. Its defining characteristic is a pronounced shift in perceived body colour depending on the light source: stones of fine quality appear green to bluish-green under daylight or fluorescent illumination, and shift to red or purplish-red under incandescent light. This behaviour arises because chromium absorbs strongly in the yellow portion of the visible spectrum, leaving the eye to perceive whichever of the two transmission windows — green or red — dominates under a given light source. The strength and completeness of the colour change is the primary quality criterion for alexandrite, and fine specimens showing a near-complete shift from a saturated green to a vivid red command significant premiums.
For June-born wearers, this dual identity carries an intuitive appeal: a single stone that presents differently by day and by evening, mirroring the transitional quality of early summer light.
Sources and Rarity
The original alexandrite locality is the Ural Mountains of Russia, where the gem was first described scientifically in the 1830s. Russian material is celebrated for its particularly fine colour change and commands the highest market premiums, though gem-quality Russian stones are exceptionally rare today. Brazil remains the most commercially significant source of facetable alexandrite. Sri Lanka produces alexandrite, often with a less saturated colour change. Deposits in East Africa — notably in Tanzania and Zimbabwe — and in India (Andhra Pradesh) have also contributed material to the market. More recently, alexandrite has been recovered from deposits in Madagascar.
Across all sources, fine alexandrite with a strong colour change and good clarity is genuinely scarce. This rarity distinguishes it sharply from the other June birthstones and places it among the most valuable coloured gemstones by weight.
Durability and Wearability
With a Mohs hardness of 8.5 and distinct cleavage in one direction that does not usually make it prone to splitting under ordinary wear, alexandrite is among the more durable coloured gemstones available. It is well suited to rings, bracelets, and other pieces subject to daily contact. Routine care requires only warm soapy water and a soft brush; ultrasonic cleaning is generally considered safe for untreated stones, though caution is warranted if any fracture-filling or other treatment is suspected.
Treatments and Synthetic Material
Natural alexandrite is rarely treated; the gem does not respond usefully to heat treatment in the way that corundum does, and fracture-filling is uncommon. Buyers should, however, be alert to synthetic alexandrite, which has been produced by flux and Czochralski (pulling) methods since the mid-twentieth century. Synthetic material is widely available and visually convincing; laboratory identification by a qualified gemmological laboratory is the only reliable means of distinguishing natural from synthetic stones. The GIA and other major laboratories routinely issue reports for alexandrite that confirm natural origin and disclose any detectable treatments.
In the Birthstone Calendar
June is unusual in having three recognised birthstones — pearl, moonstone, and alexandrite — reflecting both historical tradition and successive revisions to the modern list. Pearl and moonstone carry the longer cultural histories, but alexandrite has established a firm following among those who prioritise durability and the fascination of colour change. It is also associated with the 55th wedding anniversary in some traditions, further embedding it in jewellery gifting culture beyond its birthstone role.
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