Gem Quiz: Named for a Great Czar, I Stylishly Change from Green to Red

Published

6 years ago

April 2, 2018

Chris Burslem

Alexandrite This gem is named for a great czar. Credit: Omi Gems.

A lot of things can turn from green to red — an upcoming traffic light, a watermelon dropped from the third floor, a frog in a blender — but none of them do it with as much style as I. The Imperial Russians were so amazed at my ability to change colors they made me their national gemstone and gave me the name of their last great czar. Unfortunately, it turned out our fates were somewhat intertwined. The Russian royal family’s demise matched the depletion of my primary source in the Urals, and for much of the last century I’ve been little more than a museum piece. That has changed in recent years thanks to new finds in Brazil and Sri Lanka. Shine a light. I’m ready for a new change.

Who am I?

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Fill out my online form.

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When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”