Glittering Stones >> Beryl

Beryl

Beryl is often unknown to the general people, even the gemstone-buying public. However, it is one of the most precious gem stones minerals. Beryl is colorless in its pure form; it is the many different impurities, which give beryl its varied coloration. Without these splendid color varieties, beryl may be a rather ordinary gemstone with only average fire and brilliance. Emerald is the green variety and also Aquamarine is the blue variety of beryl. Other colors of beryl are also normally used as gemstones but are not as well known.

Colour

The greenish-yellow variety is known as Heliodor.
The pink variety is known as Morganite.
The colorless variety is known as Goshenite.
The name beryl is used for the red and also golden varieties, which are simply known as red beryl and golden beryl, respectively.

Value

Beryl is highly prized and it is one of the most valued gemstones. Its green color is peerless and all the other green gemstones are compared to its intensity. Emerald specimens are often "flawed" with the mineral inclusions and fractures; unlike other gems, these are also considered part of the stones' "character." These flaws actually help determine natural from the synthetically-produced stones. Uncut emerald specimens are rare on the mineral markets, probably because even the low grade emeralds could carry a high price when cut as gems. Especially very hard to find are true "in-matrix" specimens. Fakes are often produced with the natural crystals glued into a "host" rock and then sold as an in-matrix specimen with the highly inflated price.

The mineral beryl (also Beryllium aluminum meta-silicate and the Beryllium
Aluminum meta-silicate) is a silicate of beryllium and aluminum with the chemical formula Be3Al2 (SiO3)6. The hexagonal crystals of beryl could be very small or range up to a meter in length and diameter. Terminated crystals are quite relatively rare. Beryl exhibits concordat fracture, has a hardness of 7.5-8, a specific gravity of 2.64-2.80. It has a vitreous luster and could be transparent and translucent. Pure beryl is colorless, but it is frequently tinted by its impurities; possible colors are green, blue, yellow, red, and also white.

Beryl is been considered a gemstone since prehistoric times. Green beryl is called emerald, blue beryl is aquamarine, pink beryl is Morganite, and a clear bright yellow beryl is called golden beryl. Other shades such as yellow-green and honey yellow are common.