Often referred to as the ‘pink emerald’ or the ‘pink beryl’, morganite is a mineral blend of emerald and aquamarine and belongs to the beryl family of gems. It is known for its subtle colors that are caused by traces of manganese. Morganites rarely come in strong colors, and form beautiful hexagonal prism crystals. These gems often come in large crystal sizes, with specimens from Brazil weighing more than 10 kilograms.
Morganite was named after J.P. Morgan, one of the greatest investors in history. He was an influential gem collector in the early 19th century and his collection was partly compiled by Tiffany and Company and their chief gemologist, George Kunz. In fact, it was Kunz who proposed the new name for this unique variety of rose beryl in one of the meetings held at the New York Academy of Sciences. Although rarer than aquamarine, these large cut stones are readily available in today’s market.
Light to medium pink, clean stones with custom cuts are in high demand. Nowadays, gem collectors prefer the unheated peachy color of morganite and are willing to pay a good amount to get an unenhanced, natural piece. Peach morganite loose stones are available at retail and online stores at affordable rates.
Most of the morganite crystals in the market come from pegmatite mines in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Afghanistan, Mozambique, Namibia, Madagascar and the US are the minor contributors.
Morganites are hard and durable, which makes them great jewelry stones for daily wear.