New to forum with some questions regarding morganite

[Kashmira]

Hi,

I am new to the forum and hoping that I am posting in the right place. Anyway, I''d like to have some morganite earring studs and have some questions regarding this gem:

* Is morganite suitable for a pair of earrings (I am looking for a total weight of approx. 1.75 ct)?

* What round cut would be the best (=maximum sparkle) for a morganite- diamond cut?

* From what part of the world do the "best" morganite stones come?

* What would be an approximate price for two pale pink morganite gems for my earrings?
I saw a 2 ct morganite ring (it also had twelve .01 ct brilliants tw/si) and it was approximately 2500 USD. On the other hand I have seen a natural 2.92 ct cushion cut certified morganite (strong pink colour, IF-VVS) for approximately 200 USD so I have no idea of what price range I would expect for two good, excellent cut round morganite gems of approximately 0.85-0.9 ct each.

* Is there some other pale pink (or pinkish grey or grey) gem that would be suitable for earring studs instead of morganite?
I have been looking at kunzite but found the colour of the stone I was looking at too "cold" and pink. I''d like a warmer pale pink or a pale grey colour.


Thanks a lot in advance for your help!

 

[Harriet]

Hi and welcome,
1. Yes, morganite is fine for earrings.
2. I''ll leave this question for the custom cutters. Do note that morganite, a member of the beryl family, is not the ''sparkliest'' of gems.
3. Toughie. The nicest material that I''ve seen is from Brazil, but that''s my opinion.
4. Browse the websites of the listed vendors.
5. Try spinel and tourmaline. Both will be ''sparklier.''

 

[chrono]

Kashmira,

Hello and welcome to CS.

Morganites are fine for earrings. The shape of any particular gemstone depends on the rough material itself; hence I don’t recall seeing any round morganites. As Harriet mentioned, morganites aren’t known for being sparkly. I would not be overly concerned as to the origin. Just get something nice wherever it may come from. Just as we’ve heard that the best rubies are from Mogok and the best sapphires from Kashmir, there are equally as many unattractive ones from the very same locale.

You gave 2 examples of pricing. Can I ask where you got them? If the ring is branded, then it will cost more for the name and design, rather than the morganite itself. You also mentioned the 2.92 ct stone being certified. Do you recall the lab? Any pictures or links to either items? There are quite a few variables that might dictate the pricing.

You can go for sapphires, tourmalines, spinels as well. Kunzite will fade over time with exposure to UV, so that’s something to keep in mind if you ever decide to get one in the future.

 

[Kashmira]

Thanks for your replies

. I''ll search for pale pink spinels, sapphires and tourmalines as well but from what I have seen so far (I have looked at lots of pictures posted here on Pricescope) morganite is the gem I like the most- also even more than kunzite.

Regarding the ring and the morganite gem I have seen it is correct that the ring is branded- it comes from a Swedish jeweller. The 2.92 ct cushion cut morganite comes from a Swedish seller and it seems to be certified by TGL (Tokyo Gem Laboratory- which is in Thailand from what I can see).

What shall I look for when it comes to pricing of a morganite? (as you can see I am a total newbie but it is fun to learn more) I guess that it shall be natural and have a good cut and be IF. What would a reasonable price for a "perfect" 2.9 ct morganite?

 

[Indylady]

IF- You mean internally flawless?

 

[Harriet]

Kashmira,
Gem clarity is not graded on the same scale as diamond. That said, morganite is a Type I stone, and should be pretty free of inclusions (which can themselves be fascinating).
P.S. Thanks for whetting my appetite. I''m off to look for a piece.

 

[cellentani]

Hi Kashmira! Just wanted to add a couple of other things.

1. Are you sure about the size of the earrings? 1.75ct total weight is pretty small, so you''re talking about maybe 5-6mm round earrings (and actually, I wouldn''t worry so much about carat weight, just decide what size you like in millimeters). I''m afraid you won''t get much color in a morganite that size. Also, morganites have a pretty low RI, so you''ll probably get a tilt window with a round brilliant cut - will that bother you?

I remember that another PSer got some morganite earrings - hers were ovals with diamond halos. Maybe you could try rounds with halos - you''d still have the smaller size with a little more sparkle. You could contact any of the gemstone cutters to see if they could cut you a pair. If you go with a precision cutter, the cost of the morganites will be in the cutting, and not so much in the stone.

 

[Kashmira]

Hi again! Thank you so much for your help!

It said IF-VVS on the certificate and I believe that IF means internally flawless. If gems are not graded in the same way as diamonds, how are they graded? Where can I learn more about this?

Also when it comes to cut, is there a place where I can learn about the most common cuts of coloured gems? Can someone recommend a good gemstone cutter that would ship internationally?

What I''d like to get is a pair of morganite studs and then I''ll ask my jeweller to make a "loose" diamond halo that could be used also with other studs (I hope to get a pair of 1.75 ct diamond studs one day and that is why I''d like the same size of these studs).

If it is too tiny I most probably will try to get a slightly bigger morganite and have that made into a morganite diamond pendant or a morganite diamond ring. I am also very fond of padparadscha and bluegreen tourmalines but I guess that I will have to start somewhere- I fear that this might be a very expensive "hobby"!

 

[chrono]

Gemstones only need to be eye clean from the top. It doesn’t even have to be loupe clean. This includes even collector stones and very expensive pieces. You can read about the clarity grading here:
http://www.awesomegems.com/gemfacts.html#clarity

 

[ma re]

Regarding question #3, it''s best if you forget about location, cause there are no rules. As one well known gemstone connoisseur once said: "the best kashmir sapphire I''ve ever seen, came from Madagascar".

And there are other things to consider about your project. Even the finest of morganites are very pastel in terms of tone of color, something by which they''re similar to aquamarines or kunzites. For that reason, size in those stones is very important, as larger sizes allow for a color to deepen. On the contrary, as the size decreases (with all things staying the same), the color gets lighter. That''s why you won''t see morganites cut in single stones of less than about 2 cts, as their color just looks too pale (almost white) when they''re so small. And not only that; a round cut that you''d like is one of the "sparkliest", which is good for brilliance and/or dispersion of light, but not good for a light tone of color, which in that case gets even lighter as the stone reflects a lot of light. That is why you''ll see very few colored diamonds cut in round shapes, as their color gets paler that way (they''re more often cut in princess or cushion cuts cause they''re deeper and not as brilliant). Would you consider a rose gold bezel for your earrings? That might help the stones be more "rosy" even if they''re small.

About prices, morganites rarely cost more than 60-70$/ct, no matter how big they are. Off course, if they''re cut by famous cutters they''ll cost more.

 

[Kashmira]

Thanks for your replies!!!!! It''s great to know that a very small pale pink brilliant cut morganite might look almost white. In that case I might look for a stronger pink morganite or even for another gem. I have been in contact with my jeweller and he also suggested pink sapphire for the setting I had in mind. I am in no hurry at all so if it takes some time to find the perfect gems it is just fine!

 

[Kashmira]

I just talked to my jeweller and explained what type of earrings I''d like to have and he told me to look for a morganite (or another gem) with a diameter of approximately 6 mm. Can someone recommend a good gem cutter who would be able to help me? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Barrett]

this to, will explain clarity grading but GIA doesn''t use this grading system of type 1,2, or 3 anymore..or so i heard..not really sure
http://www.mtlilygems.com/grades.html

 

[Gailey]

Kashmira, welcome to Pricescope. I hope you stay with us and let us share your journey with you.

I too fell in love with Morganite. Attached is a picture of the pair of morganite pears I bought earlier this year. The supplier was a lapidarist from Germany who was visiting Canada. I have his name somewhere, he doesn''t have a website. I will dig it out if you are interested.

 

[Gailey]

Paraiba International is a good place to look at morganite. In fact, apart from the vendor I bought mine from, I think this is the only place I have seen morganite pairs.

Where abouts in the world are you Kasmira?

 

[Kashmira]

I love your morganite pears Gailey! The colour is so pretty!

I have received the some information from one gem cutter but as I understand it it would not be value for money to buy such small morganite stones given the high cost for the labour. I guess that I will have to look for something else (pale pink sapphires?!)...

By the way I am in Sweden!

 

[chrono]

Pale pink sapphires in those sizes are definitely quite easy to find and in pairs too. However, they are probably more than the morganites. Go for something that has been gently heated to maximize your budget.

 

[Kismet]

Mineral Miners has a few Morganite pairs already set as earrings.

 

[chrono]

Good sleuthing, Kismet.

The colour is not too shabby for something so small. Perhaps Kashmira can purchase them and have them reset in her diamond halo setting.

 

[Kashmira]

That''s exactly the type of stones that I am looking for but unfortunately they are a little bit too small (if it would have been the correct size I would have bought them). The price was great- these earrings cost less than what one (!) custom cut morganite would cost me from the gem cutter I have been in contact with.

If you wonder why I am that strict when it comes to the size is that 6 mm (or was it 6.1 mm?!) would correspond to 1,75 ct diamond studs and I want this size for my future (I hope!) diamond studs and I would like the "diamond halo ring" to be used both for the morganite studs and for the diamond studs.

 

[Kismet]

Bummer that they''re not the right size, but you can always email them and ask if they have any more. Vendors don''t always put everything they have on their websites.

 

[Kashmira]

Great suggestion Kismet- I just e-mailed them!

I am still thinking of having custom cut morganites even if it would mean that I would pay mainly for the labour and not so much for the gem itself...

 

[cellentani]

Date: 8/19/2009 10:30:12 AM
Author: Kashmira
Great suggestion Kismet- I just e-mailed them!

I am still thinking of having custom cut morganites even if it would mean that I would pay mainly for the labour and not so much for the gem itself...

If it were me, that''s probably how I would feel too. Since there isn''t much color in morganite, you really notice the cut.

I got a precision cut morganite from a faceter, and initially I wasn''t sure if I wanted to keep it because there was almost no color at all - in fact the gem almost seemed pale yellow. But I ended up keeping it just because of the fantastic cut. After putting it in a rose gold setting (something you might want to consider for your earrings), the stone took on more of a light pink color, and I''m really pleased. If you''re interested, you can see it here - there are pics on several of the pages, so you''ll have to scroll through to see them all, unfortunately. You can also run a search on morganite to see what others have done.

There are a number of fantastic cutters - just start emailing them to see if they have any suitable rough.

 

[Kashmira]

Did you discuss what shade of pink you were looking for with the faceter? I think your ring is gorgeous and so is the colour of the morganite! The setting is beautiful! May I ask you what faceter you got your morganite from?

 

[cellentani]

Date: 8/19/2009 11:40:20 AM
Author: Kashmira
Did you discuss what shade of pink you were looking for with the faceter? I think your ring is gorgeous and so is the colour of the morganite! The setting is beautiful! May I ask you what faceter you got your morganite from?

Thanks for your compliments on my ring! I got the morganite from Bob Kast. Several PSers have gotten stones through his eBay auctions (seller vallejo916), and he has a PS reputation for being a great faceter, but sometimes the color of his stones is not as desireable. I contacted him through eBay to ask if he had any available rough in the size, color, and shape I wanted. I did tell him that I wanted a pink rather than peach morganite, so I confess I was a little disappointed when I saw the finished stones (I only asked for one, but he sent me 2 to look at). However, like I mentioned, once set in rose gold, the color was completely satisfactory to me. Here''s the thread on the morganites when I first received them, so you know what the colors really were like. I''ve gotten several stones from him since (all custom and not one of his eBay auctions), and I have kept every one - the faceting is just that good (just click on my profile if you want to see those threads - they''re blue and white topaz). When talking to any cutter, I would be as specific as you can about color, cut (rounds come in various cuts), and dimensions. Gosh, you''re making me want some morganite earrings now!

 

[Kashmira]

Date: 8/19/2009 12:24:32 PM
Author: cellentani

Date: 8/19/2009 11:40:20 AM
Author: Kashmira
Did you discuss what shade of pink you were looking for with the faceter? I think your ring is gorgeous and so is the colour of the morganite! The setting is beautiful! May I ask you what faceter you got your morganite from?

Thanks for your compliments on my ring! I got the morganite from Bob Kast. Several PSers have gotten stones through his eBay auctions (seller vallejo916), and he has a PS reputation for being a great faceter, but sometimes the color of his stones is not as desireable. I contacted him through eBay to ask if he had any available rough in the size, color, and shape I wanted. I did tell him that I wanted a pink rather than peach morganite, so I confess I was a little disappointed when I saw the finished stones (I only asked for one, but he sent me 2 to look at). However, like I mentioned, once set in rose gold, the color was completely satisfactory to me. Here''s the thread on the morganites when I first received them, so you know what the colors really were like. I''ve gotten several stones from him since (all custom and not one of his eBay auctions), and I have kept every one - the faceting is just that good (just click on my profile if you want to see those threads - they''re blue and white topaz). When talking to any cutter, I would be as specific as you can about color, cut (rounds come in various cuts), and dimensions. Gosh, you''re making me want some morganite earrings now!

Thanks! Is it the "yellow" morganite that you used in your ring? I had no idea of that morganites could be yellow. I''ll check your other threads as well!

When it comes to diamonds I know that a good cut is very important and I guess that it is the same when it comes to coloured gems so if I decide to go for custom cut morganite gems, I''ll try to find a very good cutter (I think that I have been in contact with one already) and I will for sure make sure that I get a nice colour.

I''ll check out seller vallejo916. Thanks for the information!

Does anyone know where I can find more information regarding what different types of cuts would be good for a morganite?

 

[cellentani]

Date: 8/19/2009 1:49:48 PM
Author: Kashmira

Thanks! Is it the ''yellow'' morganite that you used in your ring? I had no idea of that morganites could be yellow. I''ll check your other threads as well!

When it comes to diamonds I know that a good cut is very important and I guess that it is the same when it comes to coloured gems so if I decide to go for custom cut morganite gems, I''ll try to find a very good cutter (I think that I have been in contact with one already) and I will for sure make sure that I get a nice colour.

I''ll check out seller vallejo916. Thanks for the information!

Does anyone know where I can find more information regarding what different types of cuts would be good for a morganite?

Yup, the yellow morganite is what''s in the ring! Morganite is in the beryl family, and beryls come in a range of colors, so I guess it could have practically been a yellow beryl.

vallejo doesn''t have active auctions all the time, so if there aren''t any currently running, just check his completed ones. Just a warning: his pictures are pretty bad, and I would have never have bought any stones from him based on those, except for the recommendation of another PSer.

Frankly, I''m not sure if the difference between a round brilliant or Portuguese cut will matter too much since the stones will be in your ear. You will want something well cut, but the casual observer will probably notice the color more. You however, will probably be scrutinizing these closely.

 

[Kashmira]

Date: 8/19/2009 2:20:39 PM
Author: cellentani

Date: 8/19/2009 1:49:48 PM
Author: Kashmira

Thanks! Is it the ''yellow'' morganite that you used in your ring? I had no idea of that morganites could be yellow. I''ll check your other threads as well!

When it comes to diamonds I know that a good cut is very important and I guess that it is the same when it comes to coloured gems so if I decide to go for custom cut morganite gems, I''ll try to find a very good cutter (I think that I have been in contact with one already) and I will for sure make sure that I get a nice colour.

I''ll check out seller vallejo916. Thanks for the information!

Does anyone know where I can find more information regarding what different types of cuts would be good for a morganite?

Yup, the yellow morganite is what''s in the ring! Morganite is in the beryl family, and beryls come in a range of colors, so I guess it could have practically been a yellow beryl.

vallejo doesn''t have active auctions all the time, so if there aren''t any currently running, just check his completed ones. Just a warning: his pictures are pretty bad, and I would have never have bought any stones from him based on those, except for the recommendation of another PSer.

Frankly, I''m not sure if the difference between a round brilliant or Portuguese cut will matter too much since the stones will be in your ear. You will want something well cut, but the casual observer will probably notice the color more. You however, will probably be scrutinizing these closely.

I guess that brilliant cut would be good but if I decide to go for custom cut morganites I''ll ask he gem cutter for his/her opinion. My main concern is the colour- I want it to be pale pink but it still has to be "pink".

 

[ma re]

Well, yellow beryls exist, but they''re not called morganites - it''s either a golden beryl (orange-yellow variety) or a heliodor (green-yellow variety). Morganites can be orange, but they''re more of a skin tone, or peachy, than yellow

About what would a good cut for a small morganite be - I''d say anything that doesen''t have teeny, tiny facets. Not sure if you''re only limited to a round outline, but if you are, that''s what I''d pay attention to. Some of them have a lot of really small facets, which not only reflect light and lighten the color, but also blend together and make the gem less scintillating (less lively). To explain in even simpler terms; if there are a lot of tiny facets in a material with a low refractive index such as morganite, they''ll all reflect light at roughly the same time, weakening the stone''s color and reducing scintillation. But if there are fewer, larger facets, they''ll catch light at different moments, creating scintillation, and at the same time allowing the part of the stone that doesen''t reflect light at a certain moment, to keep the deeper color (hope this makes sense).

Depth of cut is also important when it comes to preserving saturation of color, as deeper stones allow rays of light to travel a longer path through the stone, interacting with the material for longer. That''s why those cuts I mentioned (princess, cushion) and some other (asscher), help the stone keep the deeper color. Step cuts (emerald cut, baguette, french square...) are generally less brilliant so they''re good candidates for anything with a light tone of color.

 

[Kashmira]

Date: 8/20/2009 3:01:45 AM
Author: ma re
Well, yellow beryls exist, but they''re not called morganites - it''s either a golden beryl (orange-yellow variety) or a heliodor (green-yellow variety). Morganites can be orange, but they''re more of a skin tone, or peachy, than yellow

About what would a good cut for a small morganite be - I''d say anything that doesen''t have teeny, tiny facets. Not sure if you''re only limited to a round outline, but if you are, that''s what I''d pay attention to. Some of them have a lot of really small facets, which not only reflect light and lighten the color, but also blend together and make the gem less scintillating (less lively). To explain in even simpler terms; if there are a lot of tiny facets in a material with a low refractive index such as morganite, they''ll all reflect light at roughly the same time, weakening the stone''s color and reducing scintillation. But if there are fewer, larger facets, they''ll catch light at different moments, creating scintillation, and at the same time allowing the part of the stone that doesen''t reflect light at a certain moment, to keep the deeper color (hope this makes sense).

Depth of cut is also important when it comes to preserving saturation of color, as deeper stones allow rays of light to travel a longer path through the stone, interacting with the material for longer. That''s why those cuts I mentioned (princess, cushion) and some other (asscher), help the stone keep the deeper color. Step cuts (emerald cut, baguette, french square...) are generally less brilliant so they''re good candidates for anything with a light tone of color.

Would a "brilliant cut" be considered as a cut with teeny tiny facets?

I am limited to a round outline and my jeweller has found a pair of beautiful morganites (I haven''t seen them but he has) but they are slightly smaller than what I was hoping for (5.45 mm). These had the "brilliant cut".

Thanks for explaining about how to chose a cut for a specific gem

.