Rarity and beauty are two of the prime qualities a faceted mineral requires to be called a gemstone. Red beryl - which belongs to the same family as emerald, aquamarine and morganite - eminently qualifies. This American gem has yet to be found on any other continent. But collectors and connoisseurs the world over clamor for red beryl, despite its hefty price and lilliputian size.
Bixbite by another name: Hexagonal crystals of the mineral were first discovered around 1905 and named "bixbite" in honor of jewelry and gem collector and dealer Maynard Bixby of Salt Lake City, Utah. The name fell into disuse for several reasons. First, it was confusingly similar to bixbyite, another mineral. Second, bixbite lacked the mellifluous sound considered necessary to market the stone. The name red beryl was suggested and accepted by all gemological associations and most gemstone jewelry dealers and enthusiasts.
 While the name red beryl is accurate enough - referring to species and color - it has its detractors. Some, including emerald jewelry dealer Ray Zajicek of Equatorian Imports, Dallas, Tex., prefer the term "red emerald." Fred Rowe of House of Onyx, Greenville, Ky., has promoted the material as "American red emerald" for several years. "People who own red beryl call it red emerald," he says, "and people who don't insist that is wrong until they own one."
When the name was proposed during the 1991 International Colored Stone Association Congress, it sparked heated debate. A small but vocal group of red beryl dealers feels that association with the word emerald would help sales. But gemological and geological purists say such use of the word contradicts its ancient meaning. The word was derived from the Greek smaragdos and used to describe green stones. The Oxford English Dictionary says the term "emerald" was associated with the color green as far back as 1634 A.D.
Proponents point to the accepted use of such terms as "pink sapphire" even though the word sapphire comes from the Hebrew sappir, meaning opaque blue mineral (referring probably to lapis lazuli).
Some critics also oppose the arbitrary renaming of gemstones. Geologist and jewelry collector Allen James of AU International, Santa Rosa, Cal., notes there is a uniform process and convention to the proper naming of minerals. "In antiquity, gems were often named out of ignorance," he says. "But we have the scientific and mineralogical knowledge now and should name things as they are. Otherwise, the consumer's best interests are not served." Thus far, no gemological society has accepted the name red emerald.
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 decades after its discovery in 1905. In the mid-1970s, faceted sizes and grades began to be mined 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 100 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, jewelry and mineral 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 people 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 found.
Jewelry with gem-quality red beryls don't often come in sizes over 2 carats. Those that do fetch amazing prices - up to $18,000 per carat for stones of good size and exceptional color and clarity. Good quality gems can be had for $4,000 to $6,000 per carat. And if you're looking for jewelry with red beryl accents, prices range between $200 and $1,000 per carat. |
