What Was New at the Tucson AGTA and GJX Shows

The most unique find in Tucson this year was pink morganite. Morganite is a variety of beryl, like emerald and aquamarine, and has feminine colors due to the presence of manganese. It is most often seen in a peachy pink shade, sometimes in a more vivid pink and rarely in strong pink as seen here. We were able to gobble up what we could in this strong pink shade and will be making rings or pendants with these finds.

Morganite was first found in California by George F. Kunz, a famed gemologist for Tiffany's. In honor of one of their best customers, financier and gem collector J.P. Morgan, Kunz named the stone morganite (instead of pink beryl). The stone pictured here is from Madagascar and is very rare. Most material on the market today is from Brazil and is treated to enhance the color. Some parcels from Africa have rich pink colors and are not treated in any way. There are also small deposits of morganite in Mozambique, Namibia, Afghanistan and Russia but these mines are more difficult to access and deal with on a regular basis.

With morganite's durability, luster, clarity and brilliance, we anticipate that it will be fashionable for many years to come. The introduction of the pink tones will further enhance its demand. Keep an eye out for our new designs featuring morganite!