Vintage Synthetic Alexandrite Tassel Necklace

• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
• Alexandrite - Alexandrite is a variety of the mineral chrysoberyl that is prized for its unique ability to appear to change colour under different lighting conditions. It is a highly sought-after gemstone and is often used in fine jewellery. In natural light, alexandrite appears to be a shade of green, but when viewed under incandescent light, it appears to be a shade of red. This property, known as the alexandrite effect, is caused by the presence of trace amounts of chromium in the crystal structure of the gemstone. The colour change is due to the way that the gemstone absorbs and reflects light. Alexandrite is a relatively hard gemstone and is suitable for use in all types of jewellery, including rings, earrings, pendants, and bracelets. It is often used as a centre stone in engagement rings, due to its rarity and beauty. It is also used in other types of fine jewellery, such as brooches, necklaces, and cufflinks. The gemstone is typically cut into oval, pear, or cushion shapes and is usually set in gold or platinum.
• Rolled Gold - A type of gold plating devloped in the early 19th century, similar to Sheffield plating of silver, where the the gold is fused under pressure and heat to a base metal, usually brass, and then rolled into sheets of the required thickness.
  
  The thickness of the gold plate can vary. In Britain the thickness of the gold is measured in microns. A micron is one-thousandth of a millimetre and 20 microns of gold is considered good quality. In the USA a differnt method is used that takes account of the total weight of the object.
  
  Also, the purity of the gold, measured in carats can vary, with 24 carat being the purest. The gold in most rolled gold objects will be between 9 and 14 carats.
  
  There are other chemical and electroplating methods of applying gold plate to a base metal, but rolled gold is considered a superior plate to a "gold plated" object.
  
  Depending on the country and date of manufacture, the object may be stamped "Rolled Gold" or similar, but if there is any doubt as to whether an object is solid gold, or some type of gold plating, it is preferable to have it tested by a jeweller.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• jewellery - alexandrite 63
• neck chains, link style
  • neck chains, gold, barrel link 33
  • neck chains, gold, trace links 66
• necklaces, link style - trace link 69
• necklaces, silver - silver items 1,240