What’s new and trending in engagement rings? Colored gemstones.

While white diamonds will always remain popular, I’ve noticed an increased interest in engagement rings with yellow or pink diamonds, as well as sapphires, rubies, and other colored gems.

Of course, who can forget celebrities who sport massive pink and yellow diamond engagement rings? Have you seen Anna Kournikova’s pink pear-shaped diamond? At 11 carats, how could you miss it?

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Pink diamonds are prohibitively expensive for most, which is why we’re hearing so much about Morganite lately. Morganite is a semi precious pink stone, and offers customers much of the same look as pink diamonds, but for a fraction of the cost.

Morganite engagement rings are rising in popularity, and look stunning when set in rose gold and paired with white diamonds.

What is Morganite?

Morganite is a pink form of the mineral beryl. Emeralds and aquamarine are also varieties of beryl. Morganite gets its pink color from trace amounts of manganese. Morganites sold in the United States probably come from mines in Brazil.

How to Select a Good Morganite

Morganites can range in color from purplish pink to more orangey salmons or peaches. When selecting Morganites, remember that the more strongly pink the stone, the more valuable it will be. (Remember: the more orange the beryl, the less valuable it will be.)

Many Morganites are heat treated in order to get that stronger pink color. For most Morganites, the stones will have to be large in order to get a good pink color. If you have an intense pink color in a smaller Morganite, then you have quite a valuable stone on your hands!

If you ever have a question about how to evaluate a stone, or want a second opinion before purchasing a stone, feel free to consult your local gemologist. We offer this service to customers at Caesar’s Designs.

While Morganite is more rare than aquamarine, there are more quantities or large cut stones in Morganite. Perhaps this is because Morganite has, until now, been largely unheard of by most people.

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Is Morganite a Good Alternative to Diamonds?

Yes and no.

Morganites give you that pink color that rivals that seen in pink diamonds, and for a fraction of the cost. Morganites have almost perfect clarity, unlike diamonds. We think the warm, rich pink of the stone looks absolutely stunning when paired with rose gold. It picks up on the warmth of the stone and it looks good on many different skin tones.

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What’s not to love?

At Caesar’s Designs, we have several Morganite rings in the cases for you to see in person. Or, if you like, we can work on a unique Morganite ring that’s designed just for you. That way, you can be part of the gemstone selection process!

One thing to keep in mind is that Morganites are not as tough as diamonds. If you want to get technical for a moment, diamonds score a 10 on the Mohs scale, which evaluates gemstones for their hardness. Morganites, in comparison, score 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale.

So go ahead and wear that beautiful Morganite ring, but be careful. You will probably want to take it off if you do anything that could scratch or damage the stone.

What Do We Think about Morganite?

Morganites offer you a rich, pink stone with almost perfect clarity that will give your finger a gorgeous pop of color. Wear them on your left hand and be a bold bride with a hint of blush, or splurge on something pink and gorgeous for your right hand.

Either way, you can’t go wrong with this beautiful pink gemstone.