What Is Morganite?
Romantic, feminine and enchanting, Morganite is a gemstone that has captured the hearts of many jewelry lovers. With more sparkle than the better-known amethyst and hues that range from a light pink to soft lavender, Morganite is the perfect gemstone for fans of pink and purple. But what exactly is Morganite?
Composition of Morganite
Sometimes mistaken for amethyst or rose quartz, Morganite is actually composed of the mineral beryl. The full name for beryl is beryllium aluminium cyclosilicate, and it is a mineral formed in hexagonal crystals. Interestingly, beryl is clear in color but turns different colors when it comes into contact with impurities. Along with Morganite, beryl is also the mineral that composes aquamarine and emerald. Beryl turns pink (becomes Morganite) thanks to the positive presence of Manganese ions.
First discovered in California in the early 1900s, Morganite was originally known as simply ‘pink beryl.’ In 1911 a gemologist suggested naming the stone after financier J.P. Morgan, and pink beryl was known as Morganite thereafter.
Morganite As a Gemstone
Morganite is pink in nature, but is usually treated with irradiation to improve its color and bring out the pinkish lavender hues. In nature, Morganite is sometimes streaked with lines of yellow or orange, and irradiation eliminates these other colors to create a beautiful gemstone that is all one flawless color. With a Mohs scale hardness between 7.5 and 8, Morganite is a fairly hardy stone that lasts a long time.
One characteristic of the gemstone that makes it harder to work with is that Morganite is sensitive to high heats and temperature. Because of this, soldering jewelry set with a morganite gemstone can cause it to shift color. For this reason, Morganite jewelry should never be placed in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. Simply use a solution of warm soapy water to soak the Morganite in, and rinse off with cold water and polish with a soft cloth to clean your Morganite jewelry.
Apples of Gold carries a lovely vintage style Morganite ring that is a must-see for lovers of this gorgeous gemstone.
Category: Gemstone Rings, Jewelry History
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