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Alexandrite is so beautiful, so captivating in its color change phenomenon that many people want it.  The most beautiful, strongly colored, large-enough-to-see gems are in museums and bank vaults - and the rest cost 2 or 3 digits more than what most can afford.  All of this combines to inspre a very developed trade for synthetic alexandrite. Synthetic alexandrite has also been given its own name, to reduce confusion = "Zandrite"

Synthetic Alexandrites are grown in labs - they are "real" alexandrites - chemically and physiologically identical - the only difference is that they are man made instead of mined from the earth.  A synthetic alexandrite is like a strawberry that is grown in a massive field by a commercial farmer.  A natural alexandrite is like a strawberry you are lucky enough to find in the forest.  One is more valuable than the other, but they are both strawberries.

If you own a large (over 2 carats) Alexandrite with beautiful color and strong color change - and you do not have insurance papers for it, it is 99% probable that it is synthetic - no matter what your grandmother told you. 

 

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