Marquise lab-grown alexandrite studs, each held north–south in a milgrain frame with a star at the crest and alexandrite marquise rays fanning out around it. The stones shift between teal-blue and raspberry-violet as the light changes. Solid 925 sterling silver with a black ruthenium finish.
Lab-Grown Alexandrite
Visible Color Shift
Marquise Cut
Black Ruthenium Finish
Solid 925 Sterling Silver
Post & Butterfly Backs
How the Pair Is Built
Star Crest
A single round accent set in a five-point star sits at the top of each earring, above the frame.
Marquise Center
The center stone runs north–south inside a milgrain frame, ringed by a halo of small round accents.
Ray Points
Marquise rays fan out from the frame, and a scalloped lower edge closes on one more marquise at the point.
The pair is the earring half of the Nightbriar family and repeats the ring's vocabulary at a smaller scale — the milgrain frame, the marquise rays, the star. They wear as everyday studs rather than occasion pieces. Our guides to gothic earrings and earring types cover where a stud like this sits among the alternatives.
The Alexandrite and Its Color Shift
Alexandrite is the stone that changes color. Under daylight it reads teal to blue-green; under warm indoor light or candlelight it swings to raspberry, violet and plum. The effect is real optics — the mineral absorbs light unevenly across the spectrum, so what you see depends on what is illuminating it.
The shift is fully visible here. The stones are faceted and held in open prongs, so light passes through them. Our piece on whether synthetic alexandrite changes color explains the mechanism.
These stones are lab-grown. Natural alexandrite is among the rarest gemstones on earth and prices accordingly — the lab-grown material has the same chrysoberyl chemistry and the same behavior. Our comparison of lab-grown versus natural alexandrite lays out the trade-offs.
Each center stone is marquise cut and set north–south, the most elongating orientation — the same reasoning our guide to marquise cuts sets out for rings applies here.
Metal and Stones
Both earrings are solid 925 sterling silver with a black ruthenium finish — a platinum-group metal that settles to a deep gunmetal rather than a flat black. The slight reflectivity is what keeps the milgrain and the star readable instead of flattening them.
Smaller lab-grown alexandrite marquises form the rays and the point below the frame, and they shift with the center stone. The white accents — the halo of rounds around the frame, the pavé along the upper edge, and the stone in the star — are cubic zirconia. Moissanite or lab-grown diamond accents are available as a custom order.
Part of our earrings collection and the rest of our black ruthenium jewelry. Alexandrite is a June birthstone — see our June birthstone guide and the June birthstone collection, or work out which stone is yours.
Specifications
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Style: Stud earrings, sold as a pair
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Center stones: Lab-grown alexandrite, marquise cut, set north–south
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Color shift: Teal-blue in daylight to raspberry-violet in warm light — fully visible
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Accent stones: Lab-grown alexandrite marquises; cubic zirconia throughout
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Metal: Solid 925 sterling silver, black ruthenium finish
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Setting: Milgrain frame with marquise rays and a star crest
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Fastening: Posts with butterfly push-backs
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Hardness: 8.5 on the Mohs scale
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Presentation: Free luxury velvet jewelry box
Care
Alexandrite is 8.5 on the Mohs scale and well suited to daily wear. Clean with warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners and household chemicals, which dull the ruthenium finish, and store the pair in its velvet box rather than loose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the color shift actually show?
Yes. The stones are faceted and set in open prongs, so light passes through them and the shift is clearly visible — teal-blue in daylight, raspberry-violet under warm indoor light.
Is the alexandrite real?
Yes. It is genuine alexandrite — chrysoberyl — lab-grown rather than mined. Same chemistry, same hardness, same color-change behavior.
Do the smaller stones change color too?
Yes — the marquise rays are lab-grown alexandrite as well, and they shift along with the center stone.
Is alexandrite a birthstone?
Yes — alexandrite is one of the June birthstones, alongside pearl and moonstone.
Are the white accent stones diamonds?
No. They are cubic zirconia. Moissanite or lab-grown diamond accents are available as a custom order.
How dark is the black ruthenium finish?
Ruthenium finishes to a deep gunmetal rather than a flat jet black. The slight reflectivity is what keeps the milgrain and the marquise rays visible instead of flattening them.
What is it made of?
Solid 925 sterling silver throughout, with a black ruthenium finish. No brass or base metal.
What kind of earring backs do they have?
Posts with butterfly push-backs. The post is solid sterling silver, and the backs are included.
Are they sold as a pair?
Yes — the price is for the pair, and both earrings ship together in one box.
Do they match the Nightbriar ring set?
Yes. The earrings share the milgrain frame, marquise rays and star detail of the Nightbriar rings in the same colorway, so the pieces read as one family.
Are they heavy to wear?
No. They are studs rather than drops, so the weight sits against the lobe instead of pulling on it, and they can be worn all day.
Are the stones ethically sourced?
Yes. All Aquamarise stones are conflict-free and responsibly sourced, and every order arrives in a free luxury velvet jewelry box.
