This 2.335 ct Russian alexandrite from the legendary Malysheva deposit in the Ural Mountains, the birthplace of alexandrite, shows a complete, textbook color change, the phenomenon that made Ural alexandrite the benchmark of the species. In daylight it is a deep, dark conifer green with a cool bluish undertone, like a Siberian pine forest in winter shade. Under incandescent light it turns fully to a rich red with raspberry-purple depth, with no trace of the green remaining. A change this complete and this strong is the defining quality collectors look for, and it is genuinely rare in Russian alexandrite above two carats. The pear shape is Russian cut, measuring 9.92 × 8.20 × 4.30 mm. Its spread proportions give an impressively large face-up presence of nearly 10 mm for its weight, so the color change can be seen at a glance. The crystal openly carries the natural fractures, veils and fibrous inclusions characteristic of Malysheva material. They form a complex inner landscape that is part of the stone’s identity and an honest record of its origin deep in the Ural emerald mines. This is a stone to be chosen for its phenomenon and its rarity rather than for clarity. In person it is lively and complex, shifting between green, teal and purple-red as the light changes. It is natural and untreated, confirmed by the Marianovich Gems Certificate of Authenticity. Large weight, full color change and Malysheva provenance make this a rare collector-grade Ural alexandrite and a serious investment gemstone, a stone for a connoisseur’s collection or a statement pendant that reveals its two faces from day to night.
