| Morganite is a beautiful pastel gem that is little | | | | Mozambique, Namibia, Afghanistan, and Russia. |
| known and underrated. This pretty pink gemstone | | | | Over the last century, Brazil has been the most |
| is rarely seen offered for sale in standard jewelry | | | | important producer of morganite gem stones. |
| stores. For those who do know about it, it is rare | | | | Selecting a Morganite Gem |
| enough that the stone is normally considered as | | | | When selecting a morganite gemstone, the color |
| collector's type of gemstone. Morganite is a pale | | | | is by far the most important criterion. Decide if |
| to pastel pink member of the beryl family. While it | | | | you are interested in purchasing a pink or more |
| is not a common gemstone, it is a gemstone that | | | | salmon colored stone. Note that this gemstone |
| is much in demand. Because of its light color, it is | | | | should be selected in as large a size as possible, |
| not often seen in small sizes, but luckily many pink | | | | for it is only in gems above a certain size that the |
| Beryl crystals are often medium to large, and so | | | | beauty of its color really comes into its own. |
| good-sized morganite gemstones are cut. As it | | | | Some gems, especially smaller stones, can be |
| always is with light-colored stones, the more richly | | | | very pale. Because morganite is commonly found |
| colored specimens are in greater demand. | | | | in very clear and near flawless crystals, there is |
| Because of their greater depth, larger stones | | | | no need to purchase gems with significant visible |
| always show off their color better. The color of | | | | flaws or inclusions. These stones are considerably |
| morganite is usually a soft pink, but warmer | | | | less valuable than well colored flawless stones. |
| salmon pink tones are also common in this | | | | The rule which says 'the more transparent, the |
| gemstone. It is colored by very small traces of | | | | more valuable' certainly applies to morganite. |
| the element manganese, which is incorporated in | | | | Because of its color, morganite looks very good in |
| the crystal structure. Sometimes Morganite it | | | | white gold settings. At a hardness of 7.5 (just like |
| treated with a light heating to remove the salmon | | | | all other beryl gemstones), morganite is hard |
| or orangy tone, giving only the light pink color. | | | | enough for most jewelry except rings which are |
| The Worldwide Sources of Morganite | | | | worn everyday. In an everyday ring setting, the |
| Morganite was first discovered in southern | | | | gem will get worn and scratched over an |
| California in the early twentieth century. A rich | | | | extended period of time. Morganites would be fine |
| gem find of gemstone deposits containing | | | | in rings which are worn only on special occasions. |
| tourmaline, kunzite, and other gems near the | | | | While morganite is a stone which has always been |
| town of Pala in northern San Diego County | | | | a bit rare, and under some demand because of its |
| produced several new gems, including Kunzite. | | | | beautiful pink coloration, the prices for most |
| Morganite was an exciting new discovery from | | | | morganite gems are very moderate and it is not |
| this location, and in 1911 it was re-named in honor | | | | an especially expensive gem stone. While it may |
| of John.P. Morgan, a famous American industrialist | | | | be hard to find, it's prices should be quite |
| of that time. Prior to that time it was simply | | | | reasonable. Because both emerald and morganite |
| known as pink beryl - without any special name. | | | | are formed from the same kind of crystal, beryl, |
| Morganite was also discovered in Russia only a | | | | some unscrupulous promoters have tried to |
| few years afterward and this gemstone | | | | market morganite as "the pink emerald". This title |
| commonly bears a different name in that country. | | | | is both illegal and a manipulative marketing ploy, |
| Beautiful morganite gem crystals have been | | | | being an attempt to achieve otherwise unjustified |
| mined in a number of countries besides the USA, | | | | higher prices for morganite gemstones. |
| including such locations as Madagascar, Brazil, | | | | |