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Morganite
Published: August 2011
Morganite, the sister stone to emerald and aquamarine, didn’t always have a special name. For many years morganite was known simply as pink beryl. Regarded as an exciting new gem alternative to pink sapphire, pink tourmaline and kunzite, it was Tiffany’s celebrated gemologist, George Frederick Kunz who renamed this unique gemstone morganite. By selecting this name, he paid tribute to New York banker and personal benefactor, John Pierpont Morgan who was also a great admirer and collector of gemstones.
Since its discovery, morganite has been primarily prized by collectors due in large part to its limited availability. Morganite is a member of the beryl family, along with emerald, aquamarine, heliodor and goshenite. Typically free of inclusions, it has a good hardness rating on Mohs scale (7.5 – 8) as well as good toughness. Its durability, luster, clarity, brilliance and myriad of beautiful pink hues make morganite immensely suitable as a jewelry gemstone that is appropriate for everyday wear. The only factor impeding morganite’s popularity is its scarcity.
Learn more about morganite in our Gemopedia™
When Mother Nature created morganite, she made the ideal gemstone to complement all skin tones. Colored by trace amounts of manganese, morganite is easily identified from other pink to salmon colored gems by its luster and brilliance. Coming in pinks from subtle lavenders to hot fuchsias and even pastel pink apricot blends, morganite exudes charm and tenderness. Putting a unique twist on fashionable pink, morganite provides the perfect antidote to the stress of modern life.
Sources of Morganite
Two major morganite sources are Brazil and Madagascar. Others include Afghanistan, China, Mozambique, Namibia, Russia and the U.S. Located in southeastern Africa, Mozambique is the source of JTV’s Cor-de-Rosa Morganite which represents some of the very finest material found today.
Morganite Market Report
As of August 2011, JTV’s overseas buying team reports increased prices as much as 50% for morganite. Also, due to availability issues, shipments of morganite from our Bangkok team will only occur every 2 to 3 months. As demand for morganite has risen dramatically, suppliers are struggling to keep up which causes prices to rise substantially. Now is the perfect opportunity to purchase cor-de-rosa morganite gems or gemstone jewelry while these beautiful gems are still available and the prices are right.
