This north-south stretch of mountains is the source of Russia's best minerals. It includes alexandrites, demantoid garnets and emeralds, which are sought after around the world. To find out more, I met a specialist in rare gemstones from the Urals - Tsarina Jewels - to find out what makes his access from the mine to the market so special.
On the borderline between the continents of Europe and Asia, the Urals rise above the horizon like any other mountain range. However, what makes this expanse of peaks and valleys different is what lies beneath. Specifically a rare palette of minerals, such as colour-changing alexandrite, vibrant green demantoid garnets and blue-green emeralds.
Due to their rarity, these gemstones of Russian origin are in great demand among collectors. And one name familiar to many of these mineral connoisseurs is Tsarina Jewels.
This operation, with connections in Russia and Bangkok, Thailand, has perhaps the largest stock of rare Ural gemstones on the market.
It is known for bringing the mine directly to market, including a gemstone grinding plant. So that she can turn the small amounts of rough stones she discovers into fine stones for independent buyers or for her own finished jewelry.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Alexey Burlakov of Tsarina Jewels, who founded the business as it is today with Anna Safronova. With the purpose of producing and wholesaling gemstones mined in Russia. Between them, they have more than 30 years of collective experience in the gemstone industry. Also a wealth of knowledge about Russian production, including mining areas, gemological properties, what is in demand among collectors and more.
The company's jewellery also draws inspiration from imperial Russia, with a classic and grand aesthetic. One that highlights the unique, individual gemstones at the centre of each piece.
Importantly, these stones are primarily natural, unprocessed. But cut to be clear through “Russian precision cutting” that honors traditional lapidary techniques. Performance is sacrificed for the ultimate, pure beauty of the eye. A fact that is especially remarkable considering the rarity of the material in sizes larger than a carat.
Before we get into the trio of gemstones that Tsarina Jewels is known for - alexandrites, demantoid garnets and emeralds - we need to do a quick history lesson.
Both alexandrite (the colour-changing variety of gold beryl) and garnet demantoid were first discovered in the Ural Mountains in the 1830s and 1860s, respectively. “Production is very limited. With the active mining phase lasting only four months a year due to the harsh cold weather,” Alexey tells me.
The Russian Alexandrite is notoriously hard to find... or maybe it should be impossible. It is mined as a by-product of emerald. Mainly because it is found in such small quantities that dedicating a mining operation to alexandrite would not be economically viable.
Alexey describes it as an “unpredictable” gem, which also adds to the air of mystery! He continues: “The limited production of alexandrite deposits contributes to its rarity, enhancing its desirability among collectors. The gemstone's rarity, its distinctive optical properties and its links to Russian history altogether make Russian alexandrite a real dream for gem connoisseurs.”.
In a world where many things are labeled as “rare”, let's put the Russian gem-quality Alexandrite in the right context.
Alexey notes that 2023 was a good year. Because it yielded less than five stones that were more than one carat each. The rest are in the 0.2-0.3 carat size range.
Knowing this, take a look at the Tsarina Jewels website, where you will find a 2.63 carat rough alexandrite in an oval shape with excellent color change. It really helps to put the extraordinary elusive nature of these stones into perspective.
Turning to the Russian emerald, this was also discovered in the 19th century. The mining site, known as the Malysheva deposit, is of such a scale that it rivals any other emerald mining operation in the world.
Its green cousin - the Russian diamondoid garnet - is described as a “very specialised gemstone”. Thanks to its vivid color, historical ties, rarity and a special characteristic you may have read about here: the horsetail inclusion. Similar to alexandrite, finding demantoid quality gemstones in larger sizes is difficult to say the least.
Finding “good quality over two carats is rare,” according to Alexey. That's why he considers anything in the five- to six-carat range an irreplaceable treasure. If you're in the market for a larger Russian demantoid, there's no better time than now. There is no waiting or anticipating the supply of this material; you just have to deal when a unique specimen enters Tsarina Jewels’ inventory.
So, despite the fact that there are other global deposits of all three gemstones, there is something about this “Russian” moniker that makes the stones more desirable. Like the emeralds of Colombia, the sapphires of Kashmir, the tourmalines of Paraiba and so on. And this origin also affects the gemstones, such as color and inclusions.
Due to his constant proximity to Russian gems, Alexey can sometimes spot the difference between demantoids from the Urals and other locations. Because of the intensity and brightness of their green hue.
He notes that demantoids from Madagascar and Pakistan have a yellowish tone. While stones from Iran are usually deeper and darker green.
The Russian demantoid is also special because of the presence of horsetail inclusions. These are a common (but not infallible) sign that a gemstone has been mined in the Urals. You can see an incredible example of horsetail inclusions on this 2.18 carat diamond on the Tsarina Jewels website.
“For many years, until some recent research, it was thought that a demantoid with a horsetail was of Russian origin,” explains Alexey. “Recently, some specimens have been found that have horsetail from Iran and Pakistan, but they all look different.
If you see a Russian horsetail, it looks like a firework [blinding lines of chrysotile and a central opaque crystalline core]. But from other origins, it looks like a line or irregular lines that don't form shapes.”.
Knowing all this, Tsarina Jewels seeks to offer its customers large, vibrant green gemstones. With exceptional clarity to the eye, combined with a beautiful horsetail inclusions under the magnifying glass. No wonder they are equally loved by jewellers and gemologists alike!
Alexandrites from Russia are widely considered to possess the most impressive colour-changing properties. So much so that they are described as “emerald by day and ruby by night”.
This change is caused by the light source - starting with a green tint in daylight or fluorescent light. Transitioning to a brown-purple-red in incandescent light from a lamp or candle.
“In the battle of the intensity of colour change between Alexandrians of different origins, the Russian ones emerge victorious,” Alexey adds.
Finally, let's talk about Russian emeralds, which Tsarina Jewels places in sought-after creations. Like these 6.42 carat earrings with 6.42 carats of lush green gemstones. Laboratories can distinguish emeralds from different regions based on their chemical composition. But Russian emeralds have an apocalyptic bluish hue that separates them (often, but not always) from other stones.
To its credit, Tsarina Jewels gives priority to lubricant-free emeralds, clear to the eye, to distinguish their supply from the mine to the market. With Alexey noting that “they tend to be cleaner than others on the market”.
Finally, you might be interested to know where I had this insightful conversation with Tsarina Jewels.
Although the company has long focused its commercial attention on the Asian market, including exhibitions in Hong Kong and Japan. But I was delighted to meet the team at GemGenève in Switzerland, as it seeks to showcase its rare pieces to a wider audience.
It's exciting to see this trio of niche gems garnering attention outside the “typical” bubble of collectors and gemologists. As Alexey notes, these are gemstones “for people looking for something different”, and I'm happy to count myself among those seekers.
