Morganite Engagement Rings

I'll admit it right now - I don't know a lot about Morganite.  OK, I didn't know a lot about Morganite, but I know a little now.

My interest became piqued when I noticed that there's been a trend towards having Morganite as an engagement ring.  Of course my antenna raised because I know they're not incredibly high on the Mohs scale (7.5-8) and thus must be treated with great care, and I've also noticed that most of the engagement rings I've seen with Morganite center stones are quite large, so even more susceptible to damage.

Morganites were named after the famous bank tycoon and financeer JP Morgan and discovered in 1910.  They are found in large and relatively clearly crystals so they can be faceted into large stones.  

Morganites can be incredibly beautiful.  They're a pale pink and are almost always completely eye clean.  They're a member of the beryl family, so they're the siblings of aquamarine and emerald.  In fact, they are sometimes referred to as pink emerald, but of course that's a misnomer.  They have to be kept clean or they can become foggy (like aquamarines), but they should really only be cleaned with hot soapy water and a toothbrush.  As with most colored stones, chemicals can be too harsh on them and can abrade their surface making them lose their luster.

Morganite is typically heat treated to improve color.  The heat treating is hard to detect and is stable BUT the color of Morganite can fade in sunlight or high heats.  That's why you'll almost never see them in the window of a street facing jewelry store.  They're already pretty light, and when exposed to too much sun they can fade even more.

I can totally understand why someone would want a Morganite as an engagement ring.  They're usually larger, cleaner and ALWAYS less expensive than diamonds, and the delicate pink is such a feminine dainty look.  Perfect for engagement rings.  I just hope anyone who decides they want one, will remember that they can't wear it 24/7.  They need to be treated with great care and babied.  They can last a long time if worn correctly and can make any woman proud to have one.

Photo from Pricescope.com

Of course I always have to end with a "buyers beware," but be careful.  Lots of online sites sell Morganite rings.  I've yet to see any synthetics, but a lot of sites photoshop the Hell out of their pictures.  If you're going to make a purchase online, make sure it's from a reputable seller and that you have a return period in case the color of the stone is not to your liking.  That should be your shopping rule of thumb anyway, but I thought I'd just reiterate it here.