Morganite (gem)
Morganite is an orange or pink variety of beryl and is also a gemstone.[2] Morganite is mined in
Brazil, Afghanistan, Mozambique, Namibia, the United States, and Madagascar.[3]
Morganite has grown in popularity since Morganite
[2]
2010. Brides and CNN have listed it as a
possible alternative to diamond for
engagement rings.[4][5]
Name
Following the discovery of a new locality for
rose beryl in Madagascar in 1910, George
Kunz proposed the name morganite at a
meeting of the New York Academy of
Sciences on 5 December 1910 to honour his
friend and customer J.P. Morgan[6][7] for his
Morganite from Brazil with inclusions of black
financial support for the arts and sciences,
schorl
and his important gifts of gems to the
American Museum of Natural History in New General
York and to the Museum of Natural History in
Category beryl[1]
Paris. Morgan was one of the most important
gem collectors in the early 1900s – his Formula Be3Al2(Si6O18)
(repeating unit)
collection was partly assembled by Tiffany
and Company and their chief gemmologist, Identification
Kunz.
Color Pink
Morganite is also known as pink beryl, rose
Mohs scale hardness 7.5 to 8
beryl, pink emerald, and "cesian (or caesian)
beryl".[8]
Characteristics
The pink color of morganite is attributed to Mn2+ ions.[8] Morganite is pleochroic; when it is
viewed down its crystallographic axis the color is more pink.
In comparison to emerald, morganite lacks inclusions and fractures, thus making it more durable
than emerald.[2]
History
Pink beryl of fine color and good sizes was first discovered on an island off the coast of
Madagascar in 1910.[9] It was also known, with other gemstone minerals, such as tourmaline and
kunzite, at Pala, California. In December 1910, the New York Academy of Sciences named the
pink variety of beryl "morganite" after financier J. P. Morgan.[9]
On October 7, 1989, one of the largest gem morganite specimens ever uncovered, eventually
called "The Rose of Maine", was found at the Bennett Quarry in Buckfield, Maine, US.[10] The
crystal, originally somewhat orange in hue, was 23 cm (9 in) long and about 30 cm (12 in) across,
and weighed (along with its matrix) just over 50 pounds (23 kg).[11]
Before 2011, morganite was unknown in many jewelry stores. But, recently morganite has been
increasing in popularity.[2]
Value and popularity
According to a 2017 survey, morganite is the second most popular non-diamond stone, after
sapphire. A single carat of morganite can cost about $300.[12]
Morganite is one of the rarest members of the beryl family, second only to red beryl. Due to the
scarcity of morganites, especially those of high quality, they tend to be among the most
expensive per carat.[13] Ones that are deep pink in color tend to be the most valuable.[14]
References
1. "Morganite" (https://www.mindat.org/min-2783.html) .
2. "Morganite: The orange to pink gem with growing popularity" (https://geology.com/gemston
es/morganite/) . geology.com. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
3. "Morganite Description" (https://www.gia.edu/morganite-description) . www.gia.edu.
Retrieved 2021-08-31.
4. "8 Diamond Alternatives to Consider for Your Engagement Ring" (https://www.brides.com/d
iamond-alternatives-5186406) . Brides. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
5. Murden, Banu Ibrahim, Kiana (2021-05-18). "Planning to propose? Here are 23 expert-
approved rings worth buying" (https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/18/cnn-underscored/best-en
gagement-rings/index.html) . CNN Underscored. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
6. "Morganite History and Lore" (https://www.gia.edu/morganite-history-lore) .
7. Galopim de Carvalho, Rui (2024). Gempedia - a comprehensive glossary for gemstones and
gemmology. AIGS (published January 2024). p. 439. ISBN 9789727809172.
8. "Color in the beryl group" (http://minerals.caltech.edu/FILES/Visible/BERYL/Index.htm) .
Mineral Spectroscopy Server. minerals.caltech.edu. California Institute of Technology.
Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20110822012424/http://minerals.caltech.edu/FILE
S/Visible/BERYL/Index.htm) from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
9. "Gem named for Morgan; Newly discovered pink beryl is to be known as Morganite" (https://
timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1910/12/06/102052382.pdf) (PDF). The New
York Times. 6 December 1910.
10. Harrison, Donald K.; Anderson, Walter; Foley, Michael E. (1990). "The Mineral Industry of
Maine" (http://images.library.wisc.edu/EcoNatRes/EFacs2/MineralsYearBk/MinYB1990v2/r
eference/econatres.minyb1990v2.dharrison3.pdf) (PDF). Minerals yearbook 1990. Vol. 2.
US Bureau of Mines. p. 237 (http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/EcoNatRes/EcoNatRes-i
dx?type=turn&id=EcoNatRes.MinYB1990v2&entity=EcoNatRes.MinYB1990v2.p0245&isize=t
ext) . ISBN 978-0-160-38183-6. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20140427015434/h
ttp://images.library.wisc.edu/EcoNatRes/EFacs2/MineralsYearBk/MinYB1990v2/reference/
econatres.minyb1990v2.dharrison3.pdf) (PDF) from the original on 27 April 2014.
11. "The Rose of Maine" (https://web.archive.org/web/20090710012613/http://maine.gov/doc/
nrimc/mgs/explore/minerals/guide/chapter5/bennett-3.htm) . Maine Geological Survey. 6
October 2005. Archived from the original (http://maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/minera
ls/guide/chapter5/bennett-3.htm) on 10 July 2009. Image of "The Rose of Maine" at the
site of its discovery.
12. Keiles, Jamie Lauren (2018-12-04). "The pink engagement ring gemstone that everyone is
buying but nobody is talking about" (https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/12/4/1812618
8/morganite-engagement-ring-gemstone-diamond-alternative) . Vox. Retrieved
2021-08-17.
13. Oldershaw, Cally (2003). Firefly Guide to Gems (https://books.google.com/books?id=wm_X_
LzoN-cC&q=morganite&pg=PA128) . Firefly Books. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-55297-814-6.
14. Grande, Lance; Augustyn, Allison (2009-11-15). Gems and Gemstones: Timeless Natural
Beauty of the Mineral World (https://books.google.com/books?id=RnE9Fa4pbn0C&q=Morg
anite&pg=PA131) . University of Chicago Press. p. 131. ISBN 978-0-226-30511-0.
