HomeEducationArticlesColorful Beryl Gemstones Include Emerald and Aquamarine

Colorful Beryl Gemstones Include Emerald and Aquamarine

The name 'beryl' originally came from India. It was derived from the Sanskrit word 'veruliyam', an old term for the gemstone chrysoberyl, from which the Greek word 'beryllos' later developed.

The mineral beryl is a principle source of beryllium in the earth's crust. In its rare form it is notable for a variety of vivid all chromatic colors each having different gem names. Because of a relatively low refractive index and low dispersion, color is the prime factor that accounts for the popularity of most gem beryl.

Aquamarine, emerald and morganite are all beryls. Their appeal lies in their high brilliance and their hardness (7.5 to 8) so most are appropriate for tough-wear items, such as rings and bracelets as well as pendants, earrings and necklaces. Emerald, however, is more delicate and requires a little more care. Avoid exposing an emerald to extremes of heat and cold and never use chemicals to clean them.

The most valuable of all the beryls is given the most beautiful, intense and glowing green imaginable, namely emerald green, by chrome and/or vanadium. Given that the emerald has rich color but low refractive power, it is most often cut as a square or rectangle, with stepped sides, thus emphasizing its depth of color.

The continents of South America and Africa are blessed with the greatest numbers of beryls.  Often vertically striated surfaces are mainly found in the gemstone deposits of South America and those of Central and West Africa. However, they also occur on Madagascar, Russia, Ukraine and in the USA. Emeralds from Colombia and Zambia are among the most sought-after. Many aquamarines and golden beryls come from the rich mines of Brazil; others are found in Western Africa in countries such as Zambia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe.