Morganite is the peachy-pink variety of beryl, sitting in the same family as emerald and aquamarine, with its colour coming from traces of manganese. It was identified in Madagascar in 1910 and named after the banker and gem collector J.P. Morgan, at the suggestion of Tiffany's gemmologist George Kunz. Today most fine morganite comes from Brazil and Madagascar. Its soft blush tones, from pale pink to peachy salmon, have made it hugely popular in engagement rings, especially set in rose gold.
With a hardness of 7.5 to 8 and good toughness, morganite genuinely holds up to daily wear, which is part of why it works so well as a ring stone. Most stones are gently heated to soften orange tints into a cleaner pink, a stable and standard practice. It is usually faceted, and because crystals grow large and clean, impressive sizes stay affordable. Clean it with warm, soapy water. Pink glass and pink cubic zirconia are the usual imitations, so buy somewhere the word beryl actually means something.
Aquamarine and emerald are its beryl siblings; kunzite is its closest rival in soft pink.
