Overview
About Morganite
Named after the famous American financier J.P. Morgan, it was only discovered in 1910s. It is a rose variety of beryl, the same mineral as aquamarine and emerald. It comes in a unique salmon colour which was not common back then. It displays intense red-coloured fluorescence when exposed to X-rays. The largest morganite is found in Maine, weighing in at around 50 pounds. It is called “Rose of Maine”.
Morganite Properties
Mineral: Beryl
Chemistry: Beryllium Aluminum Silicate (Be3Al2Si6O18)
Refractive Index: 1.583 – 1.590
Birefringence: 0.007 to 0.008
Specific Gravity:2.81
Mohs Hardness:7.5 to 8.0
Main Colour
Orangy Pink
OTHER COLOURS
Pink
Peachy
Light Pink
Common Shapes
Birthstone Month
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Treatments / Enhancements
Heat Treatment is usually used to improve colour and clarity
Similar Gemstones
Aquamarine, Emerald, Pink Sapphire
Origins
Afghanistan, Madagascar, Brazil, Mozambique, Namibia, United States
Colour
Colour is the most significant factor affecting the value of an aquamarine.
Colour preferences do change in time and from culture to culture. Nevertheless, the most sought after colour is pure blue with a medium to medium dark tone. Sometimes there can be a secondary greenish hue. Aquamarines that have a dark blue to slightly greenish blue with moderate intensity are considered to be the most valuable colour. The more intense the blue colour, the more valuable the gemstone. most aquamarines come in a light greenish blue hue.
Morganite with 4 different undertones
Colour Grades of Morganite
Morganites not only have different colour/undertone shades, they also come shades of orangy pink with varying intensity as well. Below is some of the Morganites with different shade intensity.
Intense
Medium Intense
Light
Very Light
Colour Intensity and Size
Morganites come in different shade ranges. From salmon colour to peach to violet pink. Ones with a more pinkish and rose hue are more fashionable than their orange and salmon counterparts. Therefore pink and rose ones are more popular however untreated peach colour are value highly by collectors. Treatment is often used to drive off the yellow orange colour tint, leaving a much purer hue of pink. The resulting colour is stable and wont fade easily
Clarity
Clarity of a gem is judged based off the gem’s opacity and how much inclusions does the gem contain. The assessment of clarity is often done thru eye clean and it follow the same grading as with diamonds. Inclusions within the gem affects the value of the gem. The more visible the inclusions are to the visible eye, the lower the value of the gem.
Morganite is a type 1 gemstone, meaning most stones have “eye-clean” level of clarity with minimal inclusions. Value of the morganite depends on how visible the inclusions are. Obvious inclusions, or inclusions that reduce transparency or brightness, lower an morganite’s value drastically.
Clarity Grades of Morganites
Clarity in transparent Morganites is assessed by naked eye only and at distance of about 40cm. Morganites are classified as type 1 stones. This means that they will rarely have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. Even when there are inclusions, it can be treated using heat. Traders and consumers understand this and therefore it is accepted.
Cut
Aquamarines can be cut in almost any gem shape. Most of the time, it is fashioned into oval and cushion cuts. This gem is popular for its unique colour. Strong hues in morganite are rare, and gems usually have to be fairly large to achieve the finest colour.
Pleochorism
having different colours when viewed in different directions. The most common pleochroism that morganite have is pale pink and bluish pink. The pleochroic colour corresponds with the cutting orientation that retains the most weight. Therefore the cutter have to be careful when they are orienting the crystal.
Carat
Gemstones such as Morganite are denser than diamonds, therefore the carat weight for a gemstones differs from that of a diamond. Size of gemstones, are measured by carat as well as their diameter in millimeters. However, Morganites are more valued for their colour, cut and clarity.
Morganites exist in various sizes, from very large to very small. Larger Stones are readily available and more common compared to other gemstones. So its prices are likely to not increase as drastically when the size increases. Larger stones are more like to display stronger colours
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