don't be fooled : eBay Guides

A lot of times jewelers have been fooled by the high refracts of the siberian alexandrite. Because it is so high 1.755-1.759 they have confused it with montana corundum. it has a low refract of 1.759.As some jewelers or should I say gemologists have never ever seen siberian alexandrites, they think that by picking up a stone and looking at it with the eye is good enough to verify what it is. Because the alexandrite is such a camelion stone it needs a whole selection of tests to be put through before it can be declared sythentic chorundum as most gemologists delcare them to be.Also I would like to add that montana chorundum was very small and highly included which is why I  question when someone says the alexandrite is chorundum. what a lot of people also don't know that synthetic or not chorundum has a higher refract then alexandrite.as a rule.also alexandrites are only 8 1/2 on mohrs scale for hardness that will always be what it is. and the  chrondum sythentic or not, will always be a nine on the mohrs scale.