Pleochroism
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Definition
An optical phenomenon in which a gemstone appears to show different colors or color intensities when viewed from different crystallographic directions.
Detailed Explanation
Pleochroism occurs in anisotropic gemstones due to the differential absorption of light along different crystal axes. It is termed dichroism in uniaxial crystals (two colors) and trichroism in biaxial crystals (three colors). Tanzanite is famous for strong trichroism — showing blue-violet, red-violet, and yellow-green depending on viewing direction. Alexandrite, while primarily known for its color change under different light sources, also displays pleochroism. Cutters must orient the stone carefully to show the most desirable color through the table.