Alexandrite price: what alexandrite is worth per carat
Alexandrite's value hinges on one thing above all: the strength and quality of its colour change from green in daylight to red under incandescent light.
What drives alexandrite price
Alexandrite is a colour-change chrysoberyl. The dominant value driver is the strength and completeness of the colour change — ideally a vivid bluish-green by day shifting to a strong purplish-red under warm light. A weak or muddy change sharply reduces value.
Colour change & origin
- Russia (Ural) — the historic source, classic strong change, top premium.
- Brazil, Sri Lanka, Tanzania — important modern sources with fine material.
Size rarity
Fine alexandrite above 1 ct with a strong change is exceptionally rare, so per-carat prices rise dramatically with size — among the steepest of any gem.
Clarity
Eye-clean is expected for fine stones; cat's-eye alexandrite is a separate phenomenal category valued on the sharpness of the eye.
Alexandrite price — frequently asked questions
Why is alexandrite so expensive?
A strong, complete colour change is rare, and fine alexandrite above a carat is exceptionally scarce. Scarcity plus collector demand makes top stones among the most valuable coloured gems per carat.
What is the ideal alexandrite colour change?
A vivid bluish-green in daylight shifting to a strong purplish-red under incandescent light, with a clean, complete change and little brown or grey.
Is Russian alexandrite the best?
Russian (Ural) alexandrite is the historic benchmark and carries a premium, but fine stones from Brazil, Sri Lanka and Tanzania can rival it.
How much is alexandrite per carat?
Per-carat prices rise steeply with the strength of the colour change and the size of the stone. Use the calculator to estimate a range.
Indicative trade information from the Gem Index universal pricing engine — not a formal appraisal or laboratory certificate. Wholesale, USD. Species, treatment and origin should be confirmed by an accredited gem laboratory before sale.