Everything you need to know about Morganite Gemstone
Morganite, a member of the beryl family, exhibits a spectrum of pink hues due to the presence of tiny amounts of manganese. The value and demand for this gemstone have been on the rise recently.
Morganite's delicate hue comes from minute amounts of manganese. Morganite contains two unique pleochroism colours, a lighter pink and a darker bluish pink. Thus it is essential to align the rough before cutting and shaping precisely. Moreover, it is unusual to find Morganite with vivid colour, and giant jewels almost always have the best colour.
Description
Gemstones like aquamarines and emeralds are members of the beryl family. Morganites, emeralds, and aquamarines are all gems of the beryl family. Therefore, since they are different types of beryl, Morganite shouldn't be referred to as a "pink emerald."
Beryl's versatility in hue is one of the gem's many benefits. The pastel tones of the aquamarine and Morganite stones are beautiful. Moreover, Pegmatites, cemented magma-released fluids, are the typical source of Morganite mining.
Morganite, like other beryls, is a beautiful gemstone that is perfect for jewellery. You may wear any piece of jewellery made from it every day because of how durable it is and how long it will last you.
The most prevalent hue for Morganite is pink. However, other colours like violet and peach are available as well. Pink is a popular choice among those who appreciate jewellery and gems, while other people prefer peach instead.
Morganite is more uncommon than aquamarine, although large cut stones are nevertheless easily accessible on the market today. However, Morganite isn't popular because jewellery shoppers don't prioritise it over other popular stones like aquamarine and emerald.
Large crystals of Morganite, like those of many other precious stones found in pegmatites, are possible. Large crystals weighing up to 22 pounds have been unearthed by Brazilian miners (10 kg). Two faceted diamonds, one weighing 236 carats and the other 250 carats, are on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Most commercially available Morganite comes from pegmatite mines in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Inconsistent and modest contributions have come from Afghanistan, Mozambique, Namibia, and the United States.
Although Madagascar is still a small producer, its initial deposit is the gold standard. The quality of the magenta-coloured rough extracted from that place far exceeds that of any other location's crystals.
Facts
| Birefringence | Cleavage | Crystallography |
| 0.008-0.009 | Indistinct | Hexagonal |
| Colour | Enhancement | Etymology |
| Pink or salmon/peachy pink. It can have yellowish, orangey, reddish, purplish, or violet hues. Morganite is never dark, with a maximum tone of three. | Heat and light will remove the yellow component from peach beryl, so Morganite is often heated to get "pinker" stones. Occasionally, irradiated to improve colour, but the results fade in the light. | Named after J. P. Morgan, an American investment banker and financier |
| Dispersion | Formula | Fracture |
| 0.014 (low) | Be3Al2Si6O18 + Mn | Conchoidal to uneven |
| Inclusions | Luminescence | Luminescence Present |
| Long, hollow tubes, negative crystals, chrysanthemums. | Inert to weak pink or purple. May fluoresce soft lilac. | Yes |
| Luminescence Type | Lustre | Mineral |
| Fluorescent | Vitreous | Beryl |
| Mohs Hardness | Occurrence | Optic Sign |
| 7.5-8 | Granitic rocks, especially granite pegmatites. | Uniaxial - |
| Optics | Phenomena | Pleochroism |
| RI: o = 1.572-1.592; e = 1.578-1.600; Uniaxial (-). | Chatoyancy (very rare) | Deep blueish pink/pale pink |
| Refractive Index | Specific Gravity | Transparency |
| 1.572-1.600 | 2.71-2.90 | Translucent to transparent |
| Typical Treatments | Variety of | Wearability |
| Heat Treatment, Irradiation | Beryl | Very good |
History
At a New York Academy of Sciences conference on December 5, 1910, George Kunz proposed the name Morganite in honour of the newly discovered locale for rose beryl in Madagascar. He did this to recognise his patron and friend J.P. Morgan for his contributions to the arts and sciences and his substantial gem donations to the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Museum of Natural History in Paris.
Therefore, Morgan's name was honoured by giving this stone the name Morganite. Morgan, one of the most prominent collectors of the early 20th century, had a large portion of his collection put together by Tiffany & Company's chief gemologist, Kunz.
When exposed to X-rays, Kunz observed that Morganite emitted a bright red fluorescence but showed no phosphorescence when he switched off the X-ray source.
In 1911, miners on the island of Madagascar unearthed the first Morganite. This magenta rough, around 12 ounces (349 g), is still the industry standard.
Morganite, one of the world's most giant gemstones, was discovered on October 7, 1989. It was around 23 cm in length and 30 cm in width, found in the Bennet Quarry near Buckfield, Maine. This perfectly formed crystal, dubbed "The Rose of Maine," tipped the scales at slightly over 50 pounds.
Stone Size
Morganites are a type of beryl that rarely grow to enormous sizes. At the Bennett Quarry in Maine, however, Ronald and Dennis Holden uncovered a 30-centimetre-wide Morganite in 1989.
The rough "Rose of Maine" weighed about 115,000 carats, or about 50 lbs, making it the heaviest diamond ever discovered in North America. Several faceted gems, including one weighing 184 carats now on display at the Maine State Museum, were extracted from this specimen.
- The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, has the following varieties of pink: 287 (from Brazil) and 235 (from Brazil); 178 (from California); 113 (from California); 56 (from Madagascar); and 330 (from California) (dark orange, Brazil).
- The Paris Museum of Natural History has 250 (pink, Madagascar).
- 6 (pink, cat's eye); 1,625 (orange-pink, rectangular, faceted, Brazil); Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).
- Five hundred and ninety-seven (deep pink, square-cushion dazzling, Madagascar) and nine pounds of rose-red crystal from California are on display in the British Museum of Natural History in London, England.
- New York's American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) has 58.8 (heart-shaped, Madagascar).
- The private collection includes three enormous gemstones with elaborately carved tables weighing a combined 1,500 carats and with religious elements.
Stone Care
If there are no inclusions or cracks in the Morganite, you can use mechanical methods to clean Morganite. Consult a gemologist to find any flaws in your diamonds. However, you can never go wrong with a gentle scrub brush, some warm water, and some non-abrasive detergent.
FAQs
1. Is Morganite a valuable stone?
Due to its limited availability, Morganite has a high price tag compared to other varieties of coloured gemstones.
2. What does Morganite do spiritually?
Wearing a morganite is said to provide its wearer with healing, compassion, and a promise of the future. Morganite dissolves the wearer's ego and allows them to open up to pure love. Morganite isn't a genuine birthstone, but it's widely considered a good choice for those born under the signs of Pisces, Taurus, and Cancer.
3. What is the best colour of Morganite?
Strongly saturated pink or purple-pink morganites are the rarest and most precious. Remember that the Morganite's typically pale tint makes it an excellent pastel gemstone.
4. How much is Morganite worth per carat?
Fine quality Morganite can cost anything from AU$121 to AU$643 per carat. However, with their high quality, you can get most of them for between AU$143 and AU$321 per carat.