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Gemstone encyclopedia

Every gemstone, explained

What each stone is, how it wears in jewellery, and what to ask before you choose one. Browse by colour, or go straight to a letter.

This encyclopedia is educational. Inclusion does not confirm current Ralph Jacobs stock, sourcing, availability or suitability for a particular jewellery design.

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Quick overview

Morganite

Morganite is the pink to peach variety of beryl. Learn how its colour forms, how it is usually treated, how it wears next to diamond, and which settings help protect it.

Classification
Mineral variety
Mohs hardness
7.5–8 (scratch resistance — one part of durability)
Wear considerations
At 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, morganite is suitable for everyday wear. It is more likely than diamond to chip or break, so a setting that guards the stone and taking the ring off for hard work can help it last.
Treatment
Heat treatment to remove yellow or orange tints and improve the pink (very common, not detectable), Irradiation to deepen colour, Fracture filling (rare)
Care
Clean morganite with warm, soapy water and a soft brush. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are usually safe, but not for stones with liquid inclusions, fractures or fracture filling. Those stones should only…
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Individual gemstones vary. Care depends on treatment, setting and condition. Encyclopedia inclusion does not confirm availability.

Individual gemstones vary · care depends on treatment, setting and condition · birthstone traditions vary · encyclopedia inclusion does not confirm availability.