1. Like emerald and aquamarine, morganite is part of the beryl mineral family. However, unlike emeralds, which tend to have a lot of inclusions, morganite gemstones are relatively free of inclusions, making them more eye-appealing and easier to care for.
2. Morganite is rarer than aquamarine.
3. The gemstone is favored for its pink to orange-pink color, which is caused by trace amounts of the element manganese. Like other colored gemstones, a morganite’s color is the most important quality factor when determining value. The most valuable morganite gemstones are the ones that feature an intense pick to magenta color.
4. In 1910, morganite was first discovered in Madagascar. Today, this island is a minor producer of the gemstone but still sets the standard for some of the highest quality morganite available.
5. Morganite was named after American financier J.P. Morgan, who was an avid gem collector. Shortly after morganite’s initial discovery, George Kunz, who was the chief gemologist for Tiffany and Company, suggested that the gemstone be named after his friend to thank him for his financial support to the arts and sciences.
6. On October 7th, 1989, one of the largest specimens of Morganite was discovered in Buckfield, Maine. This gem measured 30cm wide and featured a pinkish-orange color. The 50 pound morganite was eventually separated into smaller pieces with the larger portion acquiring the name “The Rose of Maine,” which now resides in Harvard’s mineral museum.
7. Most of the world’s morganite comes from pegmatite mines in Brazil. Other notable locations for this gemstone include Afghanistan, Mozambique, Namibia, and the United States.
8. With a rating between 7.5 and 8 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, morganite jewelry should be worn with care. Make sure to avoid knocking your morganite jewelry against any hard surfaces and avoid wearing your morganite pieces in places where you’ll be exposed to sunlight and high temperatures for an extended period of time.
9. Morganite is believed to alleviate stress and anxiety, increase patience, improve productivity, and better one’s communication skills.

 

View Kloiber Jewelers’ morganite jewelry collection here.