Morganite is a variety of the mineral beryl which is the same that makes emerald and aquamarine. It was discovered in 1910 though it hasn’t as much popularity as other color gemstones.
Its signature colors are bright pink & peach and it owes its color to the presence of manganese in the mineral beryl. Less than 1% of morganites come in the rare true baby pink color. Due to the rarity and popularity of color, pink morganites trade at 2 to 5 times premium in prices over peach morganites.
Morganites score 8 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness thereby pegging it equal to emerald and aquamarine. Unlike other gemstones, morganites are found in relatively large crystals thereby making it an excellent choice for any jewelry piece, especially engagement rings. It is strong enough to withstand the rigors of everyday life.
Its popularity has risen in the last decade or so due to the pink color drawing a lot of traction in the fashion industry. Moreover, it also offers excellent value at a competitive price point. When the actor Ben Affleck famously proposed to Jennifer Lopez with a $2.5 million 6.1 carat pink diamond ring in 2002, the trend of pink in engagement rings caught on and those looking to replicate it find morganite to be a worthy alternative available at a fraction of the cost.
Even though morganite is a rare gemstone, it is still quite affordable compared to other gems. Due to this fact it is expected to prompt many enthusiasts in the next few years to purchase this gemstone for their collection while still widely available.
Morganite is also called the ‘crystal of divine love’ and is associated with bringing abundance of love, and setting the strained relationships in order.
The color intensity, clarity, and cut of a morganite are the three key characteristics that determine its quality. The weight, origin and treatment of a morganite are also important elements in determining its price. The price of a morganite, like that of any other gemstone, is directly proportional to its quality. As the quality improves the price goes higher.
The color of a morganite is the most important quality criterion and it determines the price of the gemstone. The most sought after colors of morganite are true pink and peach. The color should be well-distributed with a high saturation level and the stone must be transparent. A very light color morganite and an overly dark/opaque morganite will generally command a similar price.
Clarity refers to the presence or absence of internal and external imperfections in a gemstone. Unlike diamonds, color gemstones do not have a universal clarity grading system. We evaluate the clarity of an morganite in the following manner.
The clarity grades for morganite which we use and are common in the trade, are given hereunder.
Transparency refers to the attribute of a gemstone to let the light pass through. The more light passes through, the more transparent the stone. Everyone loves transparent gems because the colors appear vivid. The only problem with higher transparency is that the flaws in the gemstone are more visible as compared to less transparent stone.
The rough of morganite is cut in a way to obtain the desired color saturation since the price is primarily dependent on the color. Lighter material is cut deeper to allow the gem to hold more light and increase saturation, whereas darker material is cut shallower to allow more light to pass through the stone.
Cutting a gemstone requires a high degree of skill which is mastered with years of practice and patience.
Carat (ct) is the primary unit to measure the weight of a gemstone. One carat equals one-fifth of a gram or one gram has five carats. The deep or the shallow cut of a morganite will have a bearing on its apparent size thereby making it important to consider other measurements such as length and width which are expressed in millimeters. A 7x5mm Oval can weigh 0.80cts or 1.5cts, depending on its depth and cutting style.
Morganites come from Madagascar, Brazil, Afghanistan, Mozambique and Namibia. The Madagascar morganite sets the standard in the trade for this gemstone and it is generally magenta color in rough whereas Brazilian morganites are also known for their unmistakable sparkle.
The most accepted and prevalent treatment for morganite is the heat treatment. Since it’s not possible to determine whether a morganite gemstone is treated or not, all morganite gemstones are assumed to be heated. Morganites are subjected to temperatures between 800 and 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit to increase color saturation and induce a more peach/pink color.
A letter grading system is used by some jewelers to educate their consumers about the quality. We've included an overall grade to help our customers as well.
Please see the full grading scale and description as under:
| QUALITY GRADE | % OF ALL MORGANITE (PINK) | DESCRIPTION | |
|---|---|---|---|
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|
AAAA (Heirloom) | Top 1% | Fine quality gems that are typically found at very high-end boutiques. They have rich color, slightly included to eye clean clarity and tend to exhibit nice sparkle. These gems tend to appreciate most in value over time due to rarity and high demand. |
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|
AAA (Excellent) | Top 10% | High quality gems that are typically found in high end stores such as on 5th Avenue. They have vivid to medium color and are slightly included to very slightly included eye clarity. |
| QUALITY GRADE | % OF ALL MORGANITE (PEACH) | DESCRIPTION | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
AAAA (Heirloom) | Top 1% | Fine quality gems that are typically found at higher end boutiques. They have rich color, slightly included to eye clean clarity and tend to exhibit nice sparkle. These gems tend to appreciate the most in value over time due to rarity and high demand. |
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|
AAA (Excellent) | Top 10% | High quality gems that are typically found in high end stores such as on 5th Avenue. They have vivid to medium color and from slightly included to very slightly included eye clarity. |
Morganite (Pink) Quality Grading
AAAA (Heirloom)
Top 1%
Fine quality gems that are typically found at very high-end boutiques. They have rich color, slightly included to eye clean clarity and tend to exhibit nice sparkle. These gems tend to appreciate most in value over time due to rarity and high demand.
AAA (Excellent)
Top 10%
High quality gems that are typically found in high end stores such as on 5th Avenue. They have vivid to medium color and are slightly included to very slightly included eye clarity.
Morganite (Peach) Quality Grading
AAAA (Heirloom)
Top 1%
Fine quality gems that are typically found at higher end boutiques. They have rich color, slightly included to eye clean clarity and tend to exhibit nice sparkle. These gems tend to appreciate the most in value over time due to rarity and high demand.
AAA (Excellent)
Top 10%
High quality gems that are typically found in high end stores such as on 5th Avenue. They have vivid to medium color and from slightly included to very slightly included eye clarity.
Morganite is a pretty hard gemstone and doesn’t require much care. But here are a few things that you can do to keep your emerald jewelry looking new.
