Alexandrite Price Per Carat
Alexandrite is currently worth $1,000 to $70,000+ per carat depending on quality.
Alexandrite is priced on a single theatrical property: how completely it changes from green in daylight to red under incandescent light. Weak-change stones open around $1,000 per carat; fine 1-carat gems with an 80–100% shift command $5,000–$25,000; and large Russian-quality stones exceed $70,000 per carat. With lab-grown alexandrite at $100–$500 per carat, certification isn't optional at these prices — it's the product.
AlexandriteValue Chart by Carat & Quality (2026)
Retail price per carat for loose stones, by size bracket and quality tier.
| Carat | Weak change / included | Fine (strong change) | Top (vivid, 90%+ change) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 0.5 ct | $500–$1,500 | $2,000–$5,000 | $5,000–$12,000 |
| 0.5–1 ct | $1,000–$3,000 | $4,000–$10,000 | $10,000–$20,000 |
| 1–2 ct | $2,000–$6,000 | $7,000–$20,000 | $20,000–$50,000 |
| 2–3 ct | $3,000–$8,000 | $10,000–$30,000 | $30,000–$70,000 |
| 3–5 ct | $4,000–$10,000 | $15,000–$40,000 | $40,000–$70,000+ |
| 5+ ct | $5,000–$12,000 | $20,000–$50,000 | $70,000+ (auction) |
Natural alexandrite with lab certification, per carat. Lab-grown alexandrite trades at $100–$500 per carat; synthetic color-change sapphire sold as 'alexandrite' is worth under $50.
What Drives Alexandrite Value
The factors dealers actually price on — and how each one moves the per-carat number.
Completeness of color change
Graded as the percentage of the stone that visibly shifts hue: fine gems change 80–100% from green/teal to red/raspberry. Each 20-point step down the change scale roughly halves the per-carat price.
Quality of both colors
The dream is emerald-adjacent green AND ruby-adjacent red. Stones with one fine color and one muddy one (grayish day color, brownish night color) drop a full tier even with a complete change.
Origin
Russia's Ural Mountains material — the 1830s original — sets the legend and the record prices, though little reaches the market. Brazil (Hematita) produces today's finest; Sri Lanka and East Africa supply stones with typically softer changes.
Size scarcity
Most natural alexandrite is under half a carat. Fine stones above 1 carat are rare, above 3 carats exceptional — per-carat prices accelerate with weight faster than nearly any gem.
Natural vs lab-grown
A 100× price chasm. Lab alexandrite is genuine chrysoberyl with a genuine change at $100–$500 per carat — lovely, when disclosed. Every natural-priced purchase needs GIA, Gübelin, or AGL paper saying 'natural'.
What Is YOUR Alexandrite Worth?
Charts show the market — your stone has its own carat, color, clarity, and treatment story. Get a personalized estimate in under a minute.
These prices only apply to genuine alexandrite
Imitations and undisclosed synthetics trade at a tiny fraction of these figures. Run the alexandrite real-vs-fake tests before valuing or selling your stone.
Alexandrite Price Questions
Get answers to common questions about rock identification, rockhounding, and using our platform.
With certification: $2,000–$6,000 for weak-to-moderate change, $7,000–$20,000 for fine stones with strong change, and $20,000–$50,000 for vivid top examples. Without a lab report assume the worst — most uncertified 'alexandrite' is synthetic sapphire worth under $50.
Supply, in a word. Fine natural alexandrite over a carat is rarer than fine diamond by orders of magnitude — a few mines, mostly small stones, mostly weak changes. Add the unrepeatable optical drama of a true green-to-red shift and per-carat prices outrun all but the rarest diamonds.
At $100–$500 per carat for real chrysoberyl with a genuine, often excellent color change — yes, if the phenomenon is what you want. It's 1% of natural's price for 90% of the show. Just insist on disclosure, and don't expect resale value.
Authenticate first: most inherited 'alexandrite' is vintage synthetic color-change sapphire (blue-to-purple shift, not green-to-red). Run the two-lamp test from our real-vs-fake guide, and if it shows a true green-to-red change, go straight to GIA — with natural certification, auction houses and dealers will compete for it.
More AlexandriteTools & Guides
Gemstone Value Calculator
Estimate what YOUR alexandrite is worth in under a minute.
Is My Alexandrite Real?
Alexandrite prices only apply to genuine stones — test yours first.
Alexandrite Identification Guide
Properties, colors, varieties, and photos in the encyclopedia.
Free Gemstone Appraisal
Photo-based appraisal estimate for any gemstone.