Morganite is a pretty, pink gemstone which has grown in popularity in the last ten years thanks to its delicate and feminine colour due to trace amounts of manganese.
Relatively new in terms of gemstones, morganite is still rarer than aquamarine.
Keep reading to find out more top facts about this beautiful gemstone.
Morganite was first discovered in 1910 in Madagascar by George Frederick Kunz. George Kunz was the chief gemologist for Tiffany & Co.
As Kunzite was already named after him, George suggested that this new stone be named after his dear friend J.P Morgan, as thanks to him for his financial contribution towards the arts & sciences as well as for his incredible collections of gems which he had gifted to The American Museum of Natural History as well as the Museum of Natural History in Paris.
Although first discovered in Madagascar, morganite can also be found in many other locations across the world including Afghanistan, Namibia, Mozambique, Brazil and the United States including California and Maine.
Just like emerald and aquamarine, morganite belongs to the beryl family. Other beryls include red beryl, golden beryl (also known as heliodor), bixbite and goshenite.
The name ‘Beryl’ comes from the Greek beryllos, although the meaning of it is unclear.
Stones belonging to the beryl generally form in hexagonal columns in the ground and, as with other natural gemstones, have inclusions such as mineral inclusions, two phase inclusions and hollow growth tubes.
On 7th October 1989, the largest deposit of morganite was discovered. This gigantic morganite was unearthed in Buckfield, Maine and weighed an incredible 23.5kg. It measured 30cm wide and was pinkish-orange in colour.
The stone was discovered by brothers Robert and Dennis Holden who reportedly fought over the piece and later split it down into smaller pieces. The largest is known as ‘The Rose of Maine’ and can currently be found in Harvard’s Mineral Museum.
Morganite is said to increase the wearer’s communication skills, increase their patience, improve productivity, and alleviate stress.
It is also associated with love and attraction, perhaps one of the reasons it has become such a popular choice for modern engagement rings.
Recent years have seen this beautiful stone increase in popularity, particularly in engagement rings.
Often used as the centre stone in a cluster engagement ring, morganite has rocketed in popularity since around 2010 and the fact it is a hardy stone with beautiful colour, it is clear to see why.
As with other stones, the value is based on the 4 C’s – colour, cut, clarity and carat.
The colour and tone vary from stone to stone. Some morganite are a peachy-pink tone, whereas others are more baby pink. Brazilian morganite tends to have more peachy tones whilst African morganite typically is more baby pink.
Generally speaking, strong colour tones are rare and therefore, the stronger and bolder the tone, the more value it has.
The cut also has a large impact on the value, with clean and well-cut stones commanding a higher price.
The largest uncut morganite weighs 6900cts (approx. 1.38kg) and is owned by the Medici Collection in Los Angeles.
According to the Guinness World Records, the gemstones belonging to the Medici Collection have been passed down through the family for generations.
Morganite measures 7.5 – 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, and generally has less inclusions than emeralds and is rarer than aquamarine.
Despite its rating, it is still best to use gentle cleaning methods, and to take good care of your stone.
It is not advisable to store morganite under hot conditions, or in direct sunlight.
For more information on cleaning your jewellery, have a look at our blog on top tips for cleaning your jewellery.
