Morganite Cut

Morganite is a beautiful, less common stone that not everyone knows. This is a pity considering the appeal of its orangish pink color and unique composition of emerald and aquamarine. For those of you who appreciate morganites and may be interested in morganite jewelry, one thing is for sure: it can be a challenge to decide which cut we prefer. From morganite earrings to morganite rings and other forms of morganite jewelry, there are many cuts from which to choose. With this guide on morganite stone cuts, we hope you’re able to find a piece of morganite jewelry you can love and enjoy for many years to come. But first, what is morganite?

Morganite is a pink or pink-orange variety of beryl - a mineral containing aquamarine and emerald, as mentioned prior. This gemstone is mined in countries like Afghanistan, Brazil, Mozambique, Madagascar, Namibia, the US, and more. The morganite meaning is that of medication and heart healing and it is often used in various spiritual practices. Since 2010, the morganite stone has grown in popularity with many brides recommending it as an alternative to diamonds. In this blog, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about morganite cuts so you can make the best decision possible when investing in morganite jewelry.

Technical Considerations

No matter if a morganite stone is being cut to fit morganite earrings, a morganite necklace, or a morganite wedding set, gemologists take several precautions to ensure the proper cut. The same is true whether the stone in question is lab-grown, earth-mined, or raw.

To ensure the perfect cut, the gem cutter will begin by selecting the piece of morganite with which they’d like to work. Typically, this entails “clean” morganites that lack any visible inclusions with high clarity grades. Morganite stones on the rougher side are used as tumbled specimens or turned into beads or cabochons. The most prized morganites are often strong pink in color.

Cabochon Cutting Process

Cabochon is the most popular form of gem cutting. The process entails deciding which shape is best for your cabochon, ranging from basic shapes to more intricate cuts including ridges or concave shapes. Next, if starting from a slab, a slab saw is used to cut accordingly. After that, the cabochon can be cut by choosing the right area and employing an aluminum pen to mark the shape. A trim saw is then used to cut around the outline, removing any excess and making preforms of the final shape. The cabochon is then shaped and the bevel is made in preparation for the setting.

Before the cabochon is complete, the stone must be polished to remove any imperfections from the surface. Finally, the stone is thoroughly polished for maximized shine and an obvious, impressive internal pattern.

From Rough Morganite to Morganite Jewelry: The Cutting Process

To take a morganite crystal from its rough beginnings to a completed piece of morganite jewelry takes time, patience, and a few necessary steps. Beginning with rough morganite, the gem cutter will begin by choosing the perfect piece of morganite for the jewelry they have planned. Then, they will begin planning its shape. Before cutting begins, they must take the shape of the rough and any inclusions into consideration. Once they determine the best shape, they begin to clean the stone. Next, the gem cutter will begin the pre-shaping process, grinding the gemstone accordingly on a grinding lap.

In the next step, you can begin to see the morganite stone taking shape as the gem cutter will use a faceting lap and ultra-fine diamond powder to create facets that will best return light. After the morganite is faceted, the gem cutter will polish it and make its bezel before mounting it to the right piece of metal and completing new morganite jewelry.

Natural vs. Lab-Created Morganites

When choosing between either earth-mined or natural morganites and those created in a lab, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, unlike diamonds, lab-created morganite is less durable than its natural alternative. It will also have less resale value and zero imperfections, making it obvious that it’s not a natural stone. However, it is readily available and considerably affordable. Additionally, it is available in a wider array of colors and can be the right choice in some situations.

Morganite Cuts: Described

More often than not, morganite crystals can be cut into any shape–it all depends on your preference. Below are the most popular morganite cuts along with a short description of what each looks like.

Round Brilliant

The round brilliant cut is the most popular cut by a long shot. As the name suggests, this entails a round-cut morganite with strategically placed facets that yield optimal brilliance. Round brilliant gemstones also exhibit the most sparkle.

Oval

Oval morganites are more of a modern cut with longer dimensions and a good deal of depth. Ultimately, this cut is ideal for women with small hands, and it makes for a lovely engagement ring style when surrounded by two smaller round brilliant stones.

Pear

Leading the way in terms of jewelry trends today is the pair-cut morganite. Presenting a round bottom and a sharp top point, this cut promotes the illusion of delicacy and length of the fingers, making it another ideal cut for smaller hands/fingers.

Princess

As the second most popular gemstone cut in the world, the princess cut or square-shaped morganite is a timeless classic perfect for adding just the right amount of flair to engagement ring settings.

Emerald

Although less common than the other cuts on this list, emerald-cut morganites are square with rounded edges and they feature a total of 50-facets, making the morganite’s color stand out and sparkle as much as possible.

Cushion

Designed to highlight the morganite’s shine and luster, the cushion cut is similar in appearance to the soft corners and edges of a cushion, featuring 64-facets for an alluring amount of sparkle.

Cabochon

As discussed earlier in this guide, cabochon cuts are not cut or faceted at all. They are shaped and polished with no real definition with a dome-shaped top and rounded bottom.