OVERVIEW
ABOUT MORGANITE
Morganite’s subtle color is caused by traces of manganese. Because morganite has distinct pleochroism—pale pink and a deeper bluish pink—it’s necessary to orient the rough carefully for fashioning. Strong color in morganite is rare, and gems usually have to be large to achieve the finest color.
SALMON COLOR
Untreated morganite often has a strong orange color component, creating a salmon color.
SIZE
Morganite crystals can be large, with specimens from Brazil weighing over 10 kilograms.
FINANCE
Morganite was named after J.P. Morgan, one of the greatest financiers in history.
FACTS
Mineral: Beryl
Chemical composition: Be3Al2Si6O18
Color: Pink to orange-pink
Refractive index: 1.583 to 1.590
Birefringence: 0.007 to 0.008
Specific gravity: 2.80 to 2.91
Mohs hardness: 7.5 to 8
TREATMENTS
There are a number of processes used to alter the color, apparent clarity, or improve the durability of gems.
SYNTHETICS
Some gemstones have synthetic counterparts that have essentially the same chemical, physical, and optical properties, but are grown by man in a laboratory.
IMITATIONS
Any gem can be imitated—sometimes by manmade materials or by natural materials chosen by man to impersonate a particular gem.
1
Multiphase inclusions
Morganite can contain liquid inclusions that contain gas bubbles and possibly also solid phases.
2
Flatter prisms
Morganite forms beautiful hexagonal prism crystals that tend to be flatter than aquamarine crystals.
3
Pastel
Morganite often comes in lighter pastel shades of pink.
Quality Factors
Morganite can be pink, purplish pink, or orangy pink; often light in tone.