The Beryl Family
The same mineral as emerald in other colors: the blue of iron, the pink and red of manganese, gold and colorless.
Each gem in four tones: the hue it is named by, its light part, its deepest part and the sparkle where light bounces off the facets. The colors are our own approximations, not laboratory standards.
Aquamarine
Beryl colored by iron
The green-blue to blue variety of beryl, the same mineral as emerald. Its color is usually a light, pastel greenish blue.
Iron gives its blue. Heating green beryl changes the state of the iron, removes the yellow and leaves only the blue: according to CIBJO, it is almost always heated.
Aquamarine · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Aquamarine, faceted, hue
RGB(127, 198, 214)
Aquamarine · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Aquamarine, faceted, light
RGB(173, 220, 230)
Aquamarine · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Aquamarine, faceted, deep
RGB(78, 156, 176)
Aquamarine · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Aquamarine, faceted, sparkle
RGB(205, 238, 244)
Morganite
Beryl colored by manganese
Pink beryl: manganese (Mn2+) gives it a delicate pink. Its range runs from pink and rose to peach and salmon.
It is almost always heated to drive off a yellow or orange tinge and leave a purer pink; the salmon-to-peach color is typical of untreated stones.
Morganite · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Morganite, faceted, hue
RGB(242, 183, 176)
Morganite · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Morganite, faceted, light
RGB(248, 211, 205)
Morganite · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Morganite, faceted, deep
RGB(217, 143, 138)
Morganite · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Morganite, faceted, sparkle
RGB(251, 229, 225)
Heliodor
Beryl colored by iron
Golden beryl: iron (Fe3+) colors it through a charge transfer with oxygen.
According to CIBJO, it is usually irradiated. For the US Federal Trade Commission, calling it a «yellow emerald» may be misleading.
Heliodor · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Heliodor, faceted, hue
RGB(233, 200, 74)
Heliodor · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Heliodor, faceted, light
RGB(242, 219, 130)
Heliodor · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Heliodor, faceted, deep
RGB(196, 159, 34)
Heliodor · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Heliodor, faceted, sparkle
RGB(248, 234, 176)
Goshenite
Colorless beryl
Beryl with no color. CIBJO also calls it colorless beryl.
According to CIBJO, it is never treated.
Goshenite · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Goshenite, faceted, hue
RGB(241, 244, 244)
Goshenite · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Goshenite, faceted, light
RGB(255, 255, 255)
Goshenite · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Goshenite, faceted, deep
RGB(201, 208, 210)
Goshenite · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Goshenite, faceted, sparkle
RGB(250, 252, 252)
Red beryl
Beryl colored by manganese
Its intense red comes from manganese in another state (Mn3+): the same element that gives morganite its pale pink.
Gems & Gemology shows a red beryl from Utah beside a morganite from Brazil to show how the state of the manganese changes the color. CIBJO simply calls it red beryl.
Red beryl · hue
The main hue, the color the gem is named by.
Material: Red beryl, faceted, hue
RGB(194, 36, 74)
Red beryl · light
The light part, where the stone is thinnest or light passes straight through.
Material: Red beryl, faceted, light
RGB(218, 86, 117)
Red beryl · deep
The deepest part, in the facets in shadow.
Material: Red beryl, faceted, deep
RGB(138, 18, 50)
Red beryl · sparkle
The sparkle, where light bounces off the facets back to the eye.
Material: Red beryl, faceted, sparkle
RGB(235, 138, 162)
Pigmentoria is an independent color atlas. Gem, variety, place and trade names (for example «pigeon's blood» or «Paraíba») are used descriptively only and do not indicate the origin, quality, treatment or certification of any stone. The colors are our own digital approximations, not official standards of any laboratory. GIA, CIBJO, LMHC, SSEF, Gübelin and the other organisations cited belong to their owners; Pigmentoria is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.