5.06 Ct. Alexandrite from India

This 5.06 carat oval alexandrite from India, offered by The Natural Gemstone Company, is a textbook example of precision cutting married to natural color change. The stone measures 10.78 by 9.75 by 5.85 millimeters, yielding a depth proportion of approximately 57 percent, a geometry that balances contrast with light return. Cut in a faceted mixed brilliant style, the crown employs a cluster of smaller star and kite facets transitioning to a larger table, while the pavilion combines elongated mains and chevron facets to channel light back through the crown. This facet architecture maximizes internal reflection and controlled leakage, producing tight scintillation and a broad, even field of color. The clarity is evaluated as very slightly included at eye level, a grade that preserves transparency and allows the mixed brilliant geometry to operate with minimal obstruction. Polish quality is excellent, ensuring that facet junctions remain crisp and that microfacet scattering does not dull the stone, while the absence of enhancements guarantees the optical effects are wholly natural.

Technically, the mixed brilliant cut enhances alexandrite by optimizing both brilliance and color saturation, a critical duality for a stone whose appeal depends on dynamic color shift. The relatively shallow crown angle and proportionate table allow incident white light to refract into the pavilion, where controlled facet tilts favor the selective absorption bands responsible for the greenish appearance under fluorescent light and the pinkish to purplish red under incandescent light. Pavilion faceting creates multiple internal reflections that reinforce spectral contrast, increasing apparent color intensity without overdeepening tone. The vivid color intensity, combined with very slightly included clarity, preserves directional pleochroism and the gemogenic chromium response, so the stone displays a lively, sharp change rather than a muted wash. For setting, an open or semi bezel mount that exposes the pavilion will maintain optimal color play, while a well centered table and symmetrical oval outline will ensure even light distribution. This piece exemplifies the meticulous craftsmanship we present at The Natural Gemstone Company, a natural alexandrite that demonstrates how thoughtful proportions and a mixed brilliant faceting scheme can elevate inherent optical properties into a striking, wearable gem.