Ratna Sagar Jewels - All Types of Wholesale Gemstone Beads

In 2006, red beryl gemstone made it to the top of the rarest of rare gemstones in the market, selling at $75,000 per carat, with only 100 stones cut in a month! Laying hands on them is indeed nothing short of a blessing, considering its impeccable beauty, seductive lustre and pristine surface. However, there are some scintillating facts that you should know about the red beryls.

1.  Family of winners:

Red beryl, as the name suggests, belongs to the beryl family. Its rarity can be gauged from its pricing and availability. For every 150,000 diamonds registered as gem, only one crystal of red beryl makes it to the market. Called as Red Emerald gemstone, the history of the stone is very recent, and clouded in disputes.Red Beryl Gemstone, Red Emerald gemstones, Wholesale gemstone Beads   

When it was discovered in 1904, it was named as bixbite, but subsequently changed to its present name after clashing in interest with Bixbyite sellers.

2.  What is it made of?

Red beryl is a silicate mineral with Manganese ions. The intensity of the colour can be measured from its Mn+3 ion. To be precise, it is a beryllium aluminium cyclo-silicate found in volcanic vents of Wah Wah Mountains in Utah. The geochemical transformation in the earth’s crust resulted in crystallization of the gemstone at a temperature above 650o Celsius.

The red beryl is so rare on account of its formation. It can’t be recreated in lab conditions either, resulting in limited availability in the market. Beryllium is not found in large quantities, and it requires presence of dissolved manganese at lava temperatures to create this crystals.

3.  Where is it mined from?

Ruby-Violet Claims is the only known source of the red beryls. Located in Utah, the site is known for other gemstones as well. Morganite, aquamarine, golden beryl and goshenite are other significantly high-priced gemstones extracted from the region.

4.  Is it hard?

Red beryl is a durable gemstone with a hardness ranging between 7.6 and 8. It is usually given a Princess Cut in engagement rings. It is very difficult to cut them owing to the elongated hexagonal crystalline structure, generally measuring only about 10 mm, with a thickness less than 5mm. They are not given modern faceting.

The largest gemstone in red beryl family is a 54 carat item. Faceted gemstone weighed only 8 carats.

5.  Pricing and value:

By weight alone, red beryls are priced 1000 times more than gold! Top grade crystals sell for above $75,000. Even the average quality gemstones fetch a prize of $10,000 per carat.

Artificial intruders:

In late 90s, Russian gemstone makers flooded the market with artificial red beryls. However, by July 2016, all labs producing such red beryls ceased to exist. Apart from the colour and clarity, the artificial gemstone hardly bears any resemblance to the original stones.
Red beryl clusters are the most pronounced formation in gemstone industry, found extensively in Harris Claim in Wah Wah Mountains in Utah. As a buyer, stay clear of the emeralds that are tagged as red beryls to mislead novice collectors.