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|Structure: Hexagonal|Composition: Beryllium aluminium silicate|Moh's Hardness: 7½|

Beryl

The beryl stone is a favourite throughout history, both in fact and fiction, the elves in J R R Tolkien's Middle Earth used beryl stones as tokens and the beryl stone has been used for ornamentation for thousands of years.

Naturally colourless each beryl is tainted with other minerals which give a range of yellow - green - greeny blue - blue - pink - red


|Structure: Hexagonal|Composition: Beryllium aliuminium silicate|Moh's Hardness: 7-7½|

Aquamarine

Literally meaning 'sea water', the aquamarine beryl stone is my favourite stone ... birthstone of March, this stone ranges in colour from 'sea green' (the Victorian preferred colour) to today's favourite of pale blue. Dichroic at certain angles the stone may appear colourless or alternatively deep blue. Usually cut to enhance the colour, with the table cut parallel to the length of the prismatic crystals. Gem quality stones are found in Brazil, other sources are areas of the Middle East, Asia, Russia and Africa.

Worn for strength and courage, a talisman of sailors, and guardian of marriage, in healing it is reputed to uplift spirits and give clarity to thought, enhancing self expression verbal expression and self-worth, also soul cleansing, meditation with aquamarine is thought to bring inner peace and calm.

Often heat treated to enhance the blue colour it can be confused with blue topaz.


|Structure: Hexagonal|Composition: Beryllium aliuminium silicate|Moh's Hardness: 7½|

Bixbite

Bixbite crystals are very small, in red and raspberry colours, a rare beryl stone.


|Structure: Hexagonal|Composition: Beryllium aliuminium silicate|Moh's Hardness: 7½|

Emerald

The colour of the emerald depends whether the beryl stone is tainted with chromium or vanadium. This green stone is one of the most popular for betrothed couples as it is said to make you lucky in love and ease the pain of childbirth. Named from the Greek 'œsmaragdus' from the Persian for 'green mineral'. Cleopatra's mines on the shores of the Dead Sea date back to 2000 BC.

It is said that Emperor Nero wore sunglasses with lenses of emerald when watching sports at the amphitheatre.


|Structure: Hexagonal|Composition: Beryllium aliuminium silicate|Moh's Hardness: 7½|

Heliodor

Named from the Greek for gift and sun, due to it's yellow colour, coloured by traces of iron, this stone is often faceted into step cuts, as the depth adds intensity to the colour. Often found close to aquamarine deposits.


|Structure: Hexagonal|Composition: Beryllium aliuminium silicate|Moh's Hardness: 7½|

Morganite

Coloured by manganese, morganite is named after American banker and gemstone enthusiast J P Morgan.