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Gemstone Properties:
Achroite     Actinolite     Alexandrite     Almandine     Amber     Amethyst     Ametrine     Andradite     Andalusite     Apache Tear     Apatite     Aquamarine     Axinite     Barite     Benitoite     Beryl     Bixbite     Bytownite     Calcite     Cassiterite     Cerussite     Chrysoberyl     Citrine     Clinozoisite     Cordierite      Corundum     Cubic Zirconia     Danburite         Demantoid     Diamond     Diopside     Dravite     Ekanite     Elbaite     Emerald     Epidote     Euclase     Feldspar     Fluorite     GGG     Garnet     Goshenite     Gypsum     Hauynite     Heliodor     Hiddenite     Indicolite     Idocrase     Iolite     Kornerupine     Kunzite     Kyanite     Labradorite     Moldavite     Morganite     Obsidian     Opal     Orthoclase     Padparadschah     Peridot     Petalite     Piemontite     Phenacite     Prasiolite     Quartz     Rhodochrosite     Rhodolite     Rubellite     Ruby     Sapphire     Scapolite     Scheelite     Selenite     Sinhalite     Sphalerite     Sphene     Spinel     Spodumene     Schorl     Spessartite     Sunstone     Tanzanite     Topaz     Topazolite     Tourmaline     Tektite     Tsavorite     Verdelite     Vesuvianite     Wulfenite     YAG     Zincite     Zircon     Zoisite    
Beryl (beryllium aluminum silicate)

Types/Color:

  • Aquamarine – light blue to blue-green

  • Bixbite – Red to strawberry-red

  • Emerald – Green

  • Goshenite – colorless

  • Heliodor – deep yellow

  • Morganite – Pink to peach

  • Other beryls may be referred to by their color, such as green beryl and yellow beryl.


Beryl: variety aquamarine (heat-treated)


Beryl: variety aquamarine (natural, not heat treated)


Green Beryl

Beryl variety emerald (untreated)


Yellow-Green Beryl

Beryl variety Heliodor

Moh’s hardness: 7.5-8

Refractive index: 1.57-1.6

Critical angle: 39.5°

Specific gravity: 2.65-2.75

Cleavage: None

Fracture: Conchoidal, tough

Dispersion: Medium (.014)

Heat sensitivity: None

Pleochroism: Dichroic – Golden: weak (yellow to light-yellow); Goshenite: colorless, no dichroism; Green: distinct (yellow-green to blue-green); Heliodor: weak (gold-yellow to greenish-yellow); Morganite: distinct (pale-pink to lavender-pink); Purple: distinct (purple to colorless); Yellow: (light yellow to medium yellow).

Birefringence (double refraction): Weak (.006-.009)

Crystal structure: Hexagonal

Treatments: Aquamarine is usually heat treated to remove the greenish cast.  Morganite may be heat treated to change the peachy coloring to pink and may also be irradiated.  Bixbite and heliodor may be heat treated and irradiated.  Goshenite may be heat treated.  Emerald is almost always treated with some filling agent to reduce the visibility of inclusions.  These treatments are controversial and there is no consensus as to which treatment, if any, is appropriate.

Cutting: Emerald and bixbite with heavy inclusions can break apart.  Otherwise, beryl is probably the easiest stone to facet.

Polishing: Beryl polishes easily with alumina or cerium oxide.

Gemstone Properties:
Achroite     Actinolite     Alexandrite     Almandine     Amber     Amethyst     Ametrine     Andradite     Andalusite     Apache Tear     Apatite     Aquamarine     Axinite     Barite     Benitoite     Beryl     Bixbite     Bytownite     Calcite     Cassiterite     Cerussite     Chrysoberyl     Citrine     Clinozoisite     Cordierite      Corundum     Cubic Zirconia     Danburite         Demantoid     Diamond     Diopside     Dravite     Ekanite     Elbaite     Emerald     Epidote     Euclase     Feldspar     Fluorite     GGG     Garnet     Goshenite     Gypsum     Hauynite     Heliodor     Hiddenite     Indicolite     Idocrase     Iolite     Kornerupine     Kunzite     Kyanite     Labradorite     Moldavite     Morganite     Obsidian     Opal     Orthoclase     Padparadschah     Peridot     Petalite     Piemontite     Phenacite     Prasiolite     Quartz     Rhodochrosite     Rhodolite     Rubellite     Ruby     Sapphire     Scapolite     Scheelite     Selenite     Sinhalite     Sphalerite     Sphene     Spinel     Spodumene     Schorl     Spessartite     Sunstone     Tanzanite     Topaz     Topazolite     Tourmaline     Tektite     Tsavorite     Verdelite     Vesuvianite     Wulfenite     YAG     Zincite     Zircon     Zoisite    
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