Alexandrites

[Lyric]

There are some accounts of color change stones in history prior the discovery of alexandrites in Russia.
One of the documented ones is the Saphir Merveilleux in the French crown jewels with a color change from blue in day light to an amethystine color at night. If I remember well it was in the inventory that was confiscated after the French revolution. It was also mentioned in Madame de Genlis' tales (based on the Queen's saphir merveilleux).
Some sources say that it was recut into what is now known as the Hope sapphire.

[Tim]

Indeed! I was looking so hard at ancient sources that I forgot about the more modern ones.