Morganite

The gem was first discovered in Madagascar in 1910 by George Kunz, the chief gemologist for Tiffany & Co. He named this gem Morganite in honour of his friend, (and Tiffany & Co’s best customer), the American financier and avid gem collector J.P. Morgan.

Morganite is the pink variety of beryl. Other colours in the Beryl family are – blue (Aquamarine), green (Emerald & Green Beryl), yellow (Heliodor), colorless (White Beryl/Goshenite) and red (Bixbite from Utah).

Morganites are found in Afghanistan, Brazil, China, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the USA (California and Maine).

Spiritual & Health Benefits

Morganite is primarily associated with the heart. It encourages feelings of care and consideration for others and draws admiration and adoration, helping you attract your soul mate. It is believed to strengthen romantic and divine love

Morganite is attuned to the heart chakra and is said to alleviate anxiety and stress, and heal emotional trauma.
Physical Characteristics

Morganite has good durability and good hardness at 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale.

COLOUR

Colour is the most important factor in morganite value. Most stones are very pale or pastel coloured and range from pale pink to violet, salmon or peach. Top-quality material is a strong pink. Strong colour in morganite is rare, and gems usually have to be large to achieve the finest colour. Light coloured crystals might be cut a little deeper to intensify the colour.

Morganite is almost always heat-treated to improve the pink colour and remove any yellow tones. Heating is done at relatively low temperatures (about 400 degrees centigrade) to achieve this effect. The resulting colour is stable and won’t fade.

Morganite has distinct pleochroism, pale pink and a deeper bluish pink and it’s necessary to cut morganite so that it shows the best colour from above.

CLARITY

Morganite has excellent transparency and brilliance. Morganite is usually faceted to display its brilliance. Like aquamarine, faceted morganite rarely has inclusions that are visible to the eye. Less-transparent material is often cut as cabochons. When cut and polished, morganite has an attractive vitreous, (glass-like) to waxy lustre.

CUT

Morganite is available in a variety of sizes, shapes and cutting styles. Traditional shapes are most common, including ovals, pears, rounds and cushions, and fancy shapes are also readily available, such as trillions, hearts, briolettes and designer cuts. Since morganite is available in large sizes, there is usually no incremental price increase for large crystals. All beryls hold the same value above about three carats. (Red beryl is an exception).
Care

Morganite is one of the more durable gemstone types, but it does still require some careful handling. It can be sensitive to pressure and vulnerable to household chemicals. Avoid wearing morganite jewellery when working with harsh chemicals or household cleaners, such as bleach or acid. When cleaning morganite gemstones, warm soapy water and tissue or a soft cloth can be used. Be sure to rinse the stones well to remove all soapy residue. It is best to avoid the use of ultrasonic cleaners.

Remove morganite jewellery when exercising, cleaning, playing sports or engaging in vigorous physical activities. Morganite can easily scratch other gems, such as quartz, so avoid direct contact with other gem types. To prevent scratches, store morganite separately and away from gemstones and gemstone jewellery, such as topaz, sapphire and diamond. You can store your gemstones or gemstone jewellery by wrapping them in a soft cloth and placing them into a fabric-lined box.