About Morganite

Photo: DonGuennie (G-Empire The World Of Gems)

I don't need to own lots of fine jewelry to love it. Jewelry is one area of a department store where I might browse. Fortunately, I have the willpower to look without buying, just like when walking through a museum, I know I won't be taking a van Gogh home. Looking at cases of sparklers is fun!

All featured rings from Macy's

A few months ago, a Macy's sales associate mentioned a gem, morganite, I have never heard of as one of her favorites. Now I'm learning it's a popular engagement ring choice. I wonder how it is I got to my age without knowing what morganite is? Learning something new daily!

It turns out, morganite is a pink beryl -- a mineral compound consisting of beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate. The beryl family of rocks includes emeralds and aquamarines also. Morganite is valued for its pretty pink hue and relative hardness. On the Mohs 10-Hardness Scale, diamonds rate a 10 while morganites are a 7.5-8. So they are considered durable enough for a ring setting, yet softer than diamonds, sapphires and rubies.

Morganite was discovered on the coast of Madagascar in 1910 and named after robber baron/banker J. P. Morgan. The stone ranges from a rare light pink to peach and rose-colored. Orange-yellow flashes can also occur in it. Often morganite is heat treated to enhance the pink color and remove the orange.

Photo: Gemstones on YT

Morganites are lovely in rose gold settings, which is likely why engaged couples are drawn to select it. Although a wearer can't be as careless with it as a diamond (as morganite stretches easier), a morganite costs less (at about $300 per carat vs $1,000+ per carat for diamonds). Certainly, it is cheaper to replace a morganite after 20 years of daily wear. That said, it's wise not to wear any rings while doing manual labor. A diamond will stretch too, as will the gold medal!

Ahh, Mother Nature produces exquisite beauty, and human artistry improves it. A piece of jewelry is Mother Nature aided by a human hand. Billions of years of rock formation cleaned, cut and set into a lovely design.

Did you know of morganites before stopping here today?

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