Although Morganite was discovered over a century ago, it has received the majority of its attention in the last ten years. With its delicate colour and warm overtones, fashionistas and brides-to-be all over the world are choosing this elegant gem for their collection. Personally, I am a huge fan! Here's what you need to know about this extraordinary jewel.
History and Properties
Morganite is a member of the beryl family, making it a so called cousin of aquamarine and emerald. Also known as Rose Beryl, its colour ranges from light pink to orangey pink. As well as pastel blush, peach and salmon shades. These wonderful colours are caused by traces of manganese.
It was first discovered in Madagascar in 1911 and named after a wealthy banker and gem enthusiast, J.P. Morgan. He was also a devoted Tiffany & Co. customer and the company heavily promoted this new find. Today, other sources of Morganite include Afghanistan, Brazil, Mozambique, Namibia and the USA.
Fun fact: The New York Academy of Sciences named this gemstone “Morganite” at the suggestion of the chief gemologist of Tiffany & Co. George Kunz.
Kunz also had a gem named after him in 1902, after being the first to identify a unique variety of spodumene, a gemstone known as Kunzite.
Morganite forms in large crystals, with some specimens from Brazil reportedly weighing up to 10kg. Consequently, Morganite is available in large variety of shapes and sizes making it perfect for large statement pieces such as cocktail rings as well as smaller jewellery items. But don’t go too small, the smaller the stone, the lighter the colour looks. Larger stones show more saturated colour. I find that stones smaller than 5mm in diameter show little colour.
Morganite contains very few inclusions and is typically eye clean (meaning you will not see any inclusions without the use of magnifications such as a microscope or a loupe). Interestingly, emeralds, from the same beryl family tend to be fairly included and eye clean stones very rare. Heat treatment of Morganite is a standard procedure that is accepted by the industry. The result of this heat treatment produces a stable colour that won’t fade.
Exciting Project
I had the pleasure of creating an exquisite Morganite suite for a special client.
This bespoke suite included a spectacular cocktail ring, earrings and pendant.
Custom-made to match perfectly, it features vintage inspired filigree design in 18K Rose Gold and over 20 carats of oval Morganite! Almost 2 carats of natural diamonds were used to add magnificent sparkle.
Check out this Instagram post for more pictures of these beauties!
Caring for Morganite
On the Moh's 10-point Hardness Scale Morganite ranks as a 7.5 to 8 (in comparison to diamonds at 10 and sapphires at 9), if warn with care it is suitable for everyday.
If you are a lucky owner of a Morganite ring it is a good idea to remove it when doing
household chores using harsh chemicals or any physical activity to avoid accidental damage. As with any piece of jewellery, it requires regular cleaning to maintain its sparkle and shine, I suggest a soft toothbrush and soapy water.
As requested, a post on jewellery and gemstone cleaning tips will be coming soon.
Stay tuned!
I also advise to store Morganite separately from other gemstones in your jewellery box, as each gemstone has a different level of hardness. A diamond or sapphire in your other pendant or ring can accidentally scratch a Morganite if it is not stored carefully.
While doing research for one of my previous Blog posts on gemstones and their significance (Power and Beauty), I read that wearing Morganite evokes a sense of peace, joy and inner strength. It quiets stress, relieves pressure and is considered the perfect talisman. Morganite is also said to open and heal the Heart Chakra. I love wearing my Pear Shape Morganite close to my heart, as a pendant.
Morganite is perfect for all types of jewellery and for any occasion, especially if you are a fan of rose gold as I am, I highly recommend it. If not, it also looks beautiful in white gold for a stunning contrast. With its delicate colour, it is a timeless classic and could even become a family heirloom!
Is Morganite on your wish list? Tsarina Gems will be delighted to hear about it!
Looking for inspiration? Check out Gallery for magnificent Morganite ideas.
Visit our Instagram page for more Rose Gold Jewellery.
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