Morganite - What is morganite

Pretty pink morganite!

Enigmatic, feminine and increasingly popular as an affordable substitute for diamonds in engagement rings, morganite has recently seen a dramatic rise in its popularity. The glorious morganite in pinkish hues is from the beryl mineral family; aquamarine and emerald also belong to the same family but have different colours.

Morganite is mined primarily in Brazil, and smaller quantities come from Afghanistan, Mozambique, Namibia and the USA. Madagascar, which mines less than other countries, produces the best quality morganite. Cut in cushion, droplet, trillion, pear and oval shape, morganites are visually stunning and pretty durable when set in jewellery.

The many shades of pink morganite

Cherished as a semi-precious stone for its mesmerising spectrum of pink and orange shades, this pastel-colored gemstone has acquired a fine reputation as a centrepiece for engagement rings. Morganites attain their pink colour through the traces of manganese within it.

The rarest and most valuable amongst this variety of morganites are the intensely magenta-pink morganites, and the purplish-pink ones, that have the strongest colour saturation. Soft tones of baby pink are the most common in morganites. Also found in abundance are the peach-toned variety, yellowish-pink, and salmon (orangish pink). These shades of the sparkling gemstone are comparatively less valuable. The gemstone’s value increases with strength and depth of the colour. To accentuate the pink colour of the morganite, it is treated with heat to make the colour more durable.

Fantastic facts about morganite

Discovered by gemologist George Kunz in 1910 in Madagascar, the pretty morganite is named after his friend and renowned American investment banker and gem collector J.P. Morgan.

The world’s largest morganite in pink and orange hues was found in 1989 in Buckfield, Maine; it was 30cm wide and weighed 50lbs. This wonder was cut into smaller pieces and the larger one, “The Rose of Maine”, is now kept in Harvard’s mineral museum. Morganite holds special meaning for those born in November. This birthstone is also associated with the Scorpio zodiac sign.

Cherished for its healing properties, morganite’s soothing energy and calming effect reduces stress, relieves anxiety and eases emotional problems. It aids in improving communication and enhances feelings of empathy for others.

Morganite ranks between 7.5 and 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, and is reasonably resilient to scratches. For a vibrant tour of our exclusive collection of attractive morganite jewellery by the best contemporary designers, visit thejewelleryroom.com.