Alexandrite

TY LEE VINTAGE SYNTHETIC ALEXANDRITE GOLD PENDANT JAPANESE DETAIL SIGNED TYL 14K 7443 Measurements: 1.25” tall including bale and .5” wide Weight: 4 grams for pendant Metal: 14k gold Hallmark: etched across bale- TYL 14K 7443 Artist: TY Lee aka TYL, T.Y.L., TYL & CO, T. Y. LEE & Co. or T.Y. Lee Last minute note: added Italy 925 marked gold plated sterling silver 16.5” chain necklace- weight: 1 gram NOTE: I visited my favorite local jewelry store (Morris Jewelers located in Bowling Green, Kentucky) to have the pendant inspected. I thought the gemstone was amethyst, but they informed me it was a lab created Alexandrite. PLEASE NOTE: The photographs give the illusion the jewelry looks larger than it is; this is to show you the detail you could not see without a magnifying glass. Please look at ALL photographs posted…there is always one or two photos with ruler measurements in every listing created to give you an accurate indication of size. Also, the photographs posted are shot from the actual item (no stock photos.) The colors may vary just slightly due to light vs. shadow effect of the flash. The items weighed on the scale are in grams. Truly a rare find! This is an Absolutely beautiful antique Oriental Art Deco extra fine 14K Gold Synthetic Faceted Alexandrite Pendent adorned with Hand Carved Etched gold leaves climbing a kōshi-do. (The kōshi-do (a latticed door) has existed since ancient times in Japanese temples and has long been used to divide the exterior and interior living areas and gardens as well as room dividers.) As you can read from above, the bale is marked with TYL, 14K and 7443. 7443 is the item identification number…all of TY Lee’s jewelry is marked this way…a true original piece of jewelry!!!!!!!! During the 1940’s, T. Y. LEE & Co. was the legendary prominent jewelry store in Hong Kong and were number 1 on a list of 9 jewelers that American Military personnel were authorized to shop during WWII and post WWII in Hong Kong and Korea. Their designs were absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, the stores do not exist today. Normally TY Lee created jewelry with very high quality untreated jadeite or opal cabochons as well as natural pearls. As you see here, we have a Synthetic Alexandrite as our gemstone. A previous owner must have changed the original cabochon to Alexandrite (possibly a June Birthday present?) This faceted alexandrite is securely set in a 14k gold prong setting. In white light the stone has an interchanging deep purple and blue color. Under yellow light the stone takes on a pink hue. Here are some Alexandrite Fun Facts: 1. In order for Alexandrite to form in nature on its own, chromium must combine with beryllium and aluminum. Chromium in itself is a rare element. True Alexandrite’s are difficult to come by making them very valuable and rare. 2. So rare, in fact, natural Alexandrite is rarer than Diamonds and costlier than Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire. 3. Alexandrite appears to be a blueish-green in natural sunlight and shows up reddish-purple when under artificial light. 4. Not only does Alexandrite change colors, but in extremely rare cases it can also exhibit chatoyancy or the cat-eye effect. 5. Alexandrite is the birthstone for June is the gemstone that represents the 55th wedding anniversary. 6. The gemstone is considered to bring love, good luck and fortune. Since it is considered to be a gemstone that promotes romance, it is used in engagement rings. 7. They’re pretty tough. An 8.5 on Mohs’ hardness scale, Alexandrite’s are hard, tough, and durable enough for daily wear. 8. Metaphysicians say Alexandrite crystals may be used to help one return to the origin of time and to connect with the beginning of one’s development. Info obtained from Burkes Fine Jewelers This amazedly rare estate piece will be shipped in a very nice jewelry Gift Box and will be Ready to Wear when you receive it! A definite piece of beauty to own; a piece with history and a very eccentric design with tremendous color! Thanks for looking and have a great day! INFO FOR BUYERS…not very exciting to read, but just in case you need to know… · Please pay using PayPal · If payment is not received within 2 days, the transaction will be cancelled. If you need more time, please contact me · Item will be shipped within 1-2 days of receipt of cleared payment. · I do my best to give honest and accurate descriptions of every item I sell, but I am no expert…just an enthusiast. · Information as to the origin or authenticity of items is searched. · The most accurate description is in the pictures, so please review them carefully. · Most items are used vintage items “SOLD AS SEEN” with no warranty or guarantee. Unless otherwise noted, everything I sell is vintage, antique, used, secondhand, and will have fair wear. · All items are packaged carefully to the extent required for each item. · All items will ship through USPS. · Free shipping is available on various listings. When free shipping is not an option, the buyer is solely responsible for the total cost of shipping. · Combined Shipping: I am happy to combine shipping whenever it saves you money. Please let me know if you plan to bid on multiple items, and I will calculate the combined shipping in one invoice for you. · Sales Tax: 6.0% required for KY buyers only. (I know. I hate having to charge it, you hate having to pay it.) · Returns are only accepted if item is damaged or not as described. Please contact me immediately if there is a problem to receive proper instruction for return. PLEASE NOTE: You will need to obtain return ship to address prior to the return of any item. · Each jewelry box comes equipped with a 3M Anti-Tarnish Paper Tab measuring 1×1”. The strips will protect silver, nickel, copper, bronze, brass, gold, and pewter for up to 6 months depending on the frequency and amount of exposure to air. One tab can last up to one year in a sealed airtight environment. Safe to use, these paper tabs are non-toxic and do not emit any chemical residues.