beryl , morganite , heliodor
| Mineral information | Beryl |
| Chemical composition | Be3AlSiO6 |
| _ The Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom |
Help | Pictures |
| Color | Green, blue, blue-green, yellow, pink, red, brown, colorless, and white |
| Hardness | 7½ - 8 |
| SG | 2.6 - 2.8 |
| RI | 1.576 - 1.582 |
| DR | .006 |
| Luster | Vitreous |
Beryl is the mineral name of several important gemstones. All transparent varieties of Beryl may be used as gemstones, although Emerald and Aquamarine are by far the most well-known and important varieties. Pure Beryl is colorless; traces of different impurities are responsible for the color range. Each color variety has a distinct name in the gemstone trade:
| Emerald, the green variety, is the most popular green gemstone and is one of the most valuable gems. A separate page is devoted to this variety. (See Emerald) | |
| Aquamarine, the blue to blue-green variety. A separate page is devoted to this variety as well. (See Aquamarine) | |
| Morganite, the pink variety, named after the banker J.P. Morgan, who was an avid gemstone collector. Morganite is usually lightly tinted, but the color of pale stones can be intensified by heat-treatment. Morganite may also be called "Pink Beryl". "Peach Beryl", or "Champagne Beryl", is Morganite with an orange-pink color.. | |
| Heliodor is the variety including all yellow, yellow-green, light-green, orange, and brown Beryl. | |
| Golden Beryl, sometimes also called "Heliodorite", is a variety of Heliodor with a golden yellow color. The terms Heliodor and Golden Beryl are often confused with each other, and some dealers may confuse these two terms. | |
| Goshenite is the colorless variety of Beryl, and is not commonly used as gemstone. Goshenite may be coated with a green foil to resemble Emerald, as its physical properties are identical to Emerald. | |
| Red Beryl, also known as Bixbite, is a very rare, deep red variety found only in a limited occurrence in Utah. |
Gem Beryls other than Emerald and Aquamarine may also be called "Precious Beryl" by some dealers. Internal flaws in Beryl gems can be masked by treating the stone with oil. This is especially done with Emerald which almost always contains flaws - as opposed to other Beryl varieties which are often flawless. It is not uncommon for unscrupulous dealers to apply oil treatment to a stone without informing the buyer.
BERYL OCCURRENCES
Beryl is has a fairly large number of worldwide occurrences. Besides for the Emerald and Aquamarine occurrences listed separately, other gem Beryl comes from Brazil, Myanmar (Sri Lanka), Pakistan, Afghanistan, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, and the Unites States (California, Maine).
USES
All
the varieties are faceted into various gem cuts, and few rare
stones display asterism and cat's eye effect when cut and polished into cabochons. Ornamental figures are sometimes carved
from large chunks of transparent beryl, usually from
morganite and heliodor. Perfect, transparent, six-sided
crystals are occasionally worn as necklace pendants in an uncut state.
SIMILAR
GEMSTONES
Morganite
resembles Rose Quartz, Kunzite, and Pink Topaz. Golden Beryl and Heliodor may appear
similar to Chrysoberyl, Topaz, and Citrine.. Goshenite resembles other
colorless gemstones, particularly Diamond, colorless Sapphire, and Rock Crystal. Red Beryl has a distinct red color, often darker
than Ruby
or Ruby Spinel.
ALSO SEE
Special thanks to Gem Hut for most of our gem images. The gems displayed or others like them can be purchased through GemHut by clicking the link below each picture.
Picture: Purplish
Morganite
Cut: Trillion
Size: 19.33 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
Picture: Pink
Morganite
Cut: Pear
Size: 1.33 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
Picture: Golden Beryl
(Heliodor)
Cut: Oval
Size: 2.20 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
Picture: Yellow-brown
Heliodor
Cut: Oval
Size: 4.77 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
Picture:
Yellow-orange Heliodor
Cut: Oval
Size: 6.52 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
Picture: Colorless
Goshenite
Cut: Oval
Size: 4.70 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
Picture: Peach Beryl
(Morganite)
Cut: Fancy (arrowpoint)
Size: 11.39 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
Picture: Green Beryl
Cut: Oval
Size: 2.36 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
Picture: Red Beryl
Cut: Round
Size: .08 ct.
Collection: Gem Hut
