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Discovered in 1910, morganite is a relatively new addition to the ranks of precious gems you’re likely to find offered at a jewelry store. Like other recently discovered stones, morganite’s qualities are less well known than that of popular gems like opals, rubies, or topaz. However, it is only a matter of time before morganite’s reputation as a lovely and durable stone grows.

Morganite is a rare pink variety of the mineral beryl, the same mineral as emerald and aquamarine. It was originally called “pink beryl,” but George F. Kunz, a gemologist and buyer for Tiffany & Co., renamed it “morganite” in 1911 in honor of J. Pierpont Morgan, the famous American banker, who was also a noted gemstone collector. Today the principal source of morganite is Brazil, although deposits have also been found in Afghanistan, China, Mozambique, Namibia, Russia, Zimbabwe, California, and Maine. Some of the finest morganite comes from Madagascar, one of the first places it was discovered.

Morganite is distinguished by its color, which can range from pale pink to light salmon. Gemologists believe that its color comes from trace amounts of cesium or manganese in its makeup. Most morganites are very pale; the strongest colors are exhibited in larger stones. The stone has a 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, like other beryls, which makes it durable enough to use in all kinds of jewelry. (There’s even a growing trend to use a morganite center stone in engagement rings as an alternative to diamonds, although if you are particularly hard on your hands you may want to consider if it is tough enough for daily wear.)

Unlike emerald, morganite tends to have few eye-visible inclusions. Morganite crystals can also grow quite large, which makes it is easier to cut large faceted stones. The pink and rose varieties of morganite have tended to be more popular than those with a more salmon or peach tint. Morganites may be heat-treated to reduce any orange or yellow tinge. This treatment is undetectable and permanent, resulting in a stable color that will not fade.

When you are judging a morganite for quality, color is the most important factor. Larger sizes tend to show deeper color, and thus are likely to be more valuable than smaller, paler stones. Morganite displays pleochroism, meaning that the shade can vary depending on the angle from which it is viewed, so it is important that the cut of the stone be oriented correctly to enhance the brilliance and hue. The presence of large or numerous inclusions can reduce morganite’s value; morganites with many inclusions may be cut as cabochons or carved into fancy designer cuts.

While morganite is relatively affordable at the moment, it is likely that prices for this rare stone will rise as its qualities become better known. Auction King offers beautiful examples of morganite rings, pendants, and loose stones at the best possible value for its bidders, with starting bids as low as $1. Sign up for a free online account today and discover the opportunities in store.

The stone we know as garnet, January’s birthstone, is not a single mineral, but a set of closely related silicate minerals with slight variations in chemical composition and trace elements. Prized since antiquity, garnets have been found in Egyptian tombs and Roman archeological sites. While red garnets are the most well-known type of this gemstone, garnets can also be found in other colors, such as green and orange. This gives those who have January birthdays some intriguing options for birthstone jewelry.

Because there is so much variation in the chemical composition of garnets, they are divided into categories called species. Of the twenty species of garnet, only a handful are used as gemstones—almandine, andradite, grossular, pyrope, rhodolite, and spessartine. A species may be further broken down into varieties, based on color. For example, green tsavorite is a variety of grossular, and rhodolite is a purplish variety of pyrope-andradite. With a Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7.5, garnet is sturdy enough for use in most jewelry, with the exception of rings that will be worn on a daily basis.

The value of a garnet depends on the usual four factors that influence any transparent gemstone’s worth—color, clarity, cut, and carats—but how each of those factors comes into play can vary with the type of garnet in question. In general, the more vibrant and saturated the hue of a garnet, the more it is worth. However, a superior example of a rare hue will bring a much higher price than a more widely available color such as traditional red.

Expectations of clarity in a garnet vary by the species. Red garnets can be readily found without eye-visible inclusions. However, some orange types of garnets are usually found with eye-visible inclusions, which means that having such inclusions will not dramatically affect their price. One variety of green garnet, known as demantoid, is sometimes found with hair-like inclusions called horsetails, which are actually considered to increase its value.

The influence of cut and carat weight on a garnet’s value is also affected by a garnet’s species. Garnets are often cut into standard shapes and sizes for setting into jewelry, although the rarer types will usually be cut according to the shape and cutting style that allow more of the stone’s weight to be retained, or which will best display the characteristics of its variety. Whatever the cut, it should enhance the stone’s brilliance. Some varieties like demantoid and tsavorite are usually found only in smaller sizes, which means that their value goes up dramatically as their size increases. However, most garnets are widely available in larger carat sizes, so the per-carat cost does not go up as much for bigger stones.

Whenever you’re in the market for fine jewelry, it pays to check out purchasing at auction. Auctions give you the opportunity to buy at prices significantly below retail, while offering options you won’t find at a mall jeweler. You can bid on a constantly updated selection of quality pieces in Auction King’s live online auction from the convenience of your own home. Sign up for a free online account today to get started.

For those lucky enough to be born in this festive month, December has three birthstone options to choose from: tanzanite, zircon, and turquoise. They are all known for their beautiful blue shades, and they are all relatively affordable, but each has distinctive features that make it unique. Here’s what you need to know to decide which is the best fit for you.

Tanzanite: Discovered in 1967, this rare variety of the mineral zoisite is found in only one spot in the world, near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It is prized not only for its rich blue hue, which rivals that of sapphire, but for its pleochroism, which means the stone can display different colors when viewed at different angles. This gem has a Mohs hardness of 6.5 to 7, which makes it most suitable for use in earrings or necklaces, or in rings worn for special occasions. When you’re purchasing, look for stones with a deeply saturated hue, as color is the most important factor in determining tanzanite’s value. Due to the extremely limited source for this gemstone, experts expect its price to rise in the years to come.

Zircon: Zircon is the oldest mineral on earth, at more than 4.4 million years old. While the blue variety of this stone is the most popular with collectors, accounting for about 80 percent of the zircon sold, it comes in a variety of shades that are used as gems. This gemstone has high luster and double refraction, which gives it a pronounced fire—it is often cut in the brilliant style to enhance this effect. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that zircon could ward away evil spirits and bring prosperity to its owner. Blue zircon was also particularly popular in Victorian times. Zircon is a 7.5 on the Mohs scale, but it is somewhat brittle, so it can be prone to chipping. As with other types of transparent gems, the most valuable zircons have deep color and no eye-visible inclusions.

Turquoise: Turquoise has been prized throughout history in both the Old World and the New, from Egypt and Persia to the pre-Columbian Americas. This opaque mineral, which ranges from sky-blue to green in color, is a compound of hydrated copper and aluminum phosphate. Its relative softness on the Mohs scale (5 to 6) has made it an attractive material for carving as well as for jewelry. Turquoise usually forms within a host rock, limonite or sandstone, which may create markings called matrix within the stone. Turquoise can also vary in porosity and texture depending on the exact conditions of its formation. Turquoise that is dense, finely textured, and has no inclusions of host rock will command a higher price than a coarser stone or one with significant matrix. A bright, even, robin’s egg blue is considered the most valuable color for this stone. Turquoise is vulnerable to chemicals and high heat, so it should be worn with extra care.

No matter which December birthstone you decide on, Auction King regularly stocks a variety of rings, pendants, bracelets, and more. Their live online auction format gives you the opportunity to purchase high-quality jewelry at below-market prices from the comfort and convenience of your own home. Sign up for a free account today and start browsing.

November is another month that has more than one birthstone to choose from: topaz and citrine. In the time before modern gemological analysis made it possible to distinguish between similarly colored gemstones, these golden stones were frequently mistaken for one another. While each is a beautiful and affordable addition to your jewelry collection, there are differences worth noting before you make a choice.

Topaz has been used as a gemstone since the classical era. Its name is thought to derive either from the word Topazios, the ancient Greek name for the island Zabargad, or the Sanskrit word “topas,” for “heat” or “fire.” Topaz is a silicate mineral with a Mohs hardness of 8 (the hardest of any silicon-based mineral), which makes it suitable for use in any type of jewelry. It is also pleochroic, which means it displays different colors in different crystal directions.

While topaz in its natural state is golden-brown to yellow, it can take on a variety of different colors (such as red, pale green, pink, or blue) from impurities or heat or radiation treatments. Blue topaz is a popular alternative to sapphires, due to its relatively affordable price. Topaz gemstones are usually free of visible inclusions or flaws, and they are often found in emerald or oval cuts that take advantage of the naturally elongated crystal shape of the mineral. The most important factor in a topaz’s value is its color. Highly saturated color is more prized, and the rarer the hue, the more valuable the stone.

Citrine, a pale yellow to brownish orange mineral, has been used as a gemstone since 300 B.C. It is a variety of quartz that gets its color from trace amounts of iron. Its Mohs hardness of 7 makes it durable enough to use in most types of jewelry, even rings. It was particularly popular in Victorian times and in the Art Deco period. Its name comes from the French word “citron,” which means “lemon.”

The color of citrine ranges from a pale yellow to a brownish orange. Natural citrines—i.e., those that have not been treated in any way to change or enhance their hue—are becoming rare. Many citrines on the market are heat-treated amethysts (another gemstone form of quartz). This treatment is common, permanent, and stable.

Like topaz, citrine is widely available without any eye-visible inclusions—any such flaws would reduce the value of a stone significantly. Color is key to a citrine’s value, with the finest stones exhibiting a rich saturated yellow to reddish-orange color free of brown tones. Even larger stones tend not to be marked up significantly on a per-carat basis, making them a good choice for bold jewelry designs.

Auction King regularly stocks topaz and citrine necklaces, pendants, rings, and more. Our live online auction format allows you to bid on items from the comfort of your own home, obtaining quality jewelry at below-market values. Sign up for a free online account to get started!

 

 

 

Anniversaries are an annual celebration of a marriage, a reminder of all that a couple has shared as well as of their hopes for their future together. It’s no wonder that numerous traditions have arisen to suggest gifts you can give your spouse on these significant milestones. Although certain traditions, such as the twenty-fifth anniversary being associated with silver, date back to Roman times, the first formal anniversary gift guide was published in Emily Post’s book Etiquette in 1922. Since then, many of the original suggestions have been updated with modern counterparts. Corresponding lists of gemstones and colors have also been added for each anniversary, offering even more inspiration for a thoughtful husband or wife looking for the perfect present. If you’re stumped, the list below can give you a jumping-off point to start your search.

1^st: Traditional: Paper; Modern: Clocks; Gemstone: Gold; Color: Yellow

2^nd: Traditional: Cotton; Modern: China; Gemstone: Garnet; Color: Red

3^rd: Traditional: Leather; Modern: Crystal/glass; Gemstone: Pearls; Color: White

4^th: Traditional: Fruit/flowers; Modern: Appliances; Gemstone: Blue topaz; Color: Green

5^th: Traditional: Wood; Modern: Silverware; Gemstone: Sapphire; Color: Turquoise

6^th: Traditional: Iron/Candy; Modern: Wood; Gemstone: Amethyst; Color: Purple

7^th: Traditional: Wool/Copper; Modern: Desk Set; Gemstone: Onyx; Color: Off White

8^th: Traditional: Bronze; Modern: Linens/lace; Gemstone: Tourmaline; Color: Bronze

9^th: Traditional: Pottery; Modern: Leather; Gemstone: Lapis lazuli; Color: Terra cotta

10^th: Traditional: Tin/aluminum; Modern: Diamond jewelry; Gemstone: Diamond; Color: Silver

11^th: Traditional: Steel; Modern: Fashion jewelry; Gemstone: Turquoise; Color: Turquoise

12^th: Traditional: Silk; Modern: Pearls; Gemstone: Jade; Color: Oyster white

13^th: Traditional: Lace; Modern: Textiles; Gemstone: Citrine; Color: White

14^th: Traditional: Ivory; Modern: Gold jewelry; Gemstone: Opal; Color: Ivory

15^th: Traditional: Crystal; Modern: Watches; Gemstone: Ruby; Color: Ruby red

20^th: Traditional: China; Modern: Platinum; Gemstone: Emerald; Color: Emerald green

25^th: Traditional: Silver; Modern: Silver; Gemstone: Silver; Color: Silver

30^th: Traditional: Pearl; Modern: Diamond; Gemstone: Pearl; Color: Green

35^th: Traditional: Coral; Modern: Jade; Gemstone: Emerald; Color: Coral

40^th: Traditional: Ruby; Modern: Ruby; Gemstone: Ruby; Color: Ruby red

45^th: Traditional: Sapphire; Modern: Sapphire; Gemstone: Sapphire; Color: Blue

50^th: Traditional: Gold; Modern: Gold; Gemstone: Gold; Color: Gold

55^th: Traditional: Emerald; Modern: Emerald; Gemstone: Alexandrite; Color: Emerald green

60^th: Traditional: Diamond; Modern: Diamond; Gemstone: Diamond; Color: White

Whether you’re looking for a limited-edition lithograph for your first anniversary, a diamond anniversary band for your tenth, a luxury watch for your fifteenth, or a strand of pearls for your thirtieth, Auction King  offers the best prices on a wide selection of fine jewelry, luxury items, fine art, and collectibles. Their format combines the dynamic excitement of a real-time auction run by a live auctioneer with the convenience and access of online shopping. Bid with confidence, knowing that their items are scrupulous checked for authenticity and their superior customer service is there to answer any questions. Sign up today for a free account to start bidding—and saving.