Red Beryl

Gemstone: Red Beryl Red Beryl is also commonly known as Bixbite. Birthstone Month: Beryl is not associated with a birthstone month. Zodiac: Beryl is associated with the zodiac signs Scorpio and Sagittarius. Red Beryl is associated with the zodiac signs Aries and Taurus. Chemical Symbol: Be3Al2Si6O18 Chemical Make-up: Beryl is scientifically classified as a Beryllium Aluminum Silicate. Presence of differing elements account for the different colors available. The color of Red Beryl is believed to be due to traces of Manganese. History & Lore: The origin of the name Beryl is thought to derive from the Sanskrit word 'veruliyam', an old term previously used for the gemstone Chrysoberyl. It is also believed to derive from the Greek Word 'beryllos' which means crystal, and was originally applied to all green gemstones, but was later used exclusively for Beryl alone. Bixbite was named after the mineral collector Maynard Bixby. Red Beryl was first discovered in 1905 in the Thomas Range of Juab County, Utah. In 1958, gem quality crystals were discovered in the Wah Wah Mountains in Utah's Beaver County, but it wasn't until 1978 that consistent mining operations took place. These mining operations continue to this day in the Wah Wah Mountains, but Red Beryl is unfortunately still incredibly rare.

It is documented that Pliny, a Roman scholar, used powdered Beryl to cure injuries relating to the eye. Legend says that Beryl was once used to ward off demons and evil spirits and that it can protect the wearer from dangers whilst traveling. Other legends also state that Beryl can be used to bring about good luck, cheerfulness, energy, and eternal youthfulness. Beryl is also said to be effective at treating disorders of the heart and spine. Red Beryl is believed to stimulate awareness and enhance the wearer's creativity and physical energy. Being a stone of comfort and healing, Red Beryl is believed to help one overcome grief and depression. It has also been said to strengthen relationships by inducing harmony and compatibility. Physically, Red Beryl is believed to strengthen the heart and lungs and can help aid various disorders of the digestive system. Availability: Red Beryl is one of the rarest, most desired, and most expensive of all colored gems. Few crystals approach gem quality, in fact, most of the fine quality Red Beryls are kept by mineral collectors and are never faceted. Sources: The Wah-Wah Mountains of Utah is to this day the only location where gem quality Red Beryl is mined. Evaluation: Beryl is rated at 7.5 to 8 on Moh's Scale of Hardness and is a durable stone that is ideal for all jewelry purposes. Beryl is colorless in pure form, but different element impurities give it a wide variety of colors to choose from. Traces of Manganese is believed to be the reason for the Red Beryl's color which ranges from an orange-red, raspberry red, to a slightly purplish red. Red Beryl is very rarely transparent but translucent to opaque and much like Emerald, nearly all the crystals contain numerous inclusions. Red Beryl has long been labeled “Red Emerald” in the commercial gem market so as to capitalize upon its rarity and uniqueness. This has sparked many debates amongst gem enthusiasts who feel that not only do such misnomers confuse the public, but that the classification is technically incorrect because Emerald should be strictly synonymous with green. Regardless of these debates, Red Beryl is continued to be marketed to this day using the misnomer of Red Emerald. Large Red Beryl specimens are incredibly rare as Red Beryl specimens are almost exclusively found under one Carat in size. In fact, it is estimated that the average faceted Red Beryl weighs only .15 Carat, with the largest faceted gemstone to date weighing only 8.0 Carats. Because of Red Beryls rarity and uniqueness, most quality crystals are kept by mineral collectors and connoisseurs and are never faceted. Red Beryls at the pinnacle of the value spectrum are a saturated raspberry red and are no more than slightly included. Common Cuts: Beryl has the ability to be cut into a wide spectrum of many-faceted shapes. Beryls are particularly well suited to rectangular or square cuts, as these bring out the stone's transparency and color definition. Routine Enhancements: There are no known enhancements for Red Beryl.