Why Are Red Beryl Emaralds Not Oiled?
Why it’s red: Manganese is the coloring agent for red beryl; smaller amounts of manganese produce the less saturated color of beryl morganite. (Chromium, vanadium and/or iron produce the green color of emerald.) Red beryl, emerald and other beryls have many similar optical and physical characteristics. Red beryl’ s refractive index of 1.564-1.574 is similar to emerald’s; its specific gravity of 2.66-2.70 is similar also.
A report in the Winter 1984 issue of Gems and Gemology notes that red beryl often shows fingerprint, 2-phase and healed fracture inclusions. Gemmy, clean material is rare indeed, and most specimens show some form of the inclusions mentioned. Cross-section photographs show some beryls also may exhibit concentric color zonations.
Consumers should handle red beryl with care; precautions observed for other beryls apply to red beryl also. Because red beryl is not oiled (as emeralds traditionally are), there is no need to worry about oil “sweating” during setting. In fact, tests have shown red beryl color to be quite stable and resistant to heat - from a jeweler’s torch, for instance. Standard gemological tests, such as refractive index and specific gravity, easily separate red beryl from other red materials. And synthetic red beryl is relatively rare, though Russia recently has produced a variety of colors, including hydrothermal red beryl. These, too, should be easy to distinguish with standard gem tests.
Slow starter: Red beryl remained a nonentity in the commercial gem world for years after its discovery in 1905. In the mid-1970s, faceted sizes and grades began to be discoved in what are now the Violet claims in the Wah-Wah mountains of southwestern Utah. The Harris family primarily owns the claims, and initial production brought a trickle of faceted red beryl to market of about one hundred stones per year. Since then, production has increased slowly. Owner Rex Harris says they now produce about 600 1-2 ct. stones a year and a startling 4,200 gems in melee sizes (.02-.10 Ct.). These “drop in the bucket” quantities still make red beryl as well as beryl jewelry rare.
“It is usually gem collectors who prize it most, followed by ladies who like unusual red gemstones and already have their supply of rubies,” says dealer Fred Rowe. “In my opinion, there’s a tremendous U.S. collector community out there; I’m constantly surprised at the numbers of folks collecting rare gems.” Harris adds there is a heavy and increasing demand from jewelry manufacturers for red beryl in Europe and Japan, where the material can’t be discovered.
Jewelry with gem-quality red beryls almost never come in sizes over 2 carats. Those that do are worth amazing prices - up to $18,000 per carat for gems of clarity. Good quality gems
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