Emerald Office Supplies Philadelphia
American Red Beryl: The Homegrown Gem
Scarceness and beauty are a couple of the prime qualities faceted minerals need to be called valuable stones. Red beryl, which belongs to the same family as emerald, aquamarine and morganite, actually qualifies as a dear stone by these standards. This American gem is still yet to be found on any other continent. Collectors and connoisseurs across the globe clamor for red beryl, regardless of its sizeable price and lilliputian size.
When it was first uncovered red beryl was known as bixbite, named for the jewelry and gem collector Maynard Bixby of Salt Lake, Utah. The name slid under inspection for one or two reasons. First, it was confusingly like bixbyite, another mineral. Second, bixbite lacked the mellifluous sound considered crucial to market the stone. The name red beryl was advocated and accepted by all gemological associations and most gem handmade jewelry dealers and fans. While the name red beryl is correct enough, making reference to species and colour, there are loads of critics of this name. Some, including emerald jewellery dealer Ray Zajicek of Equatorian Imports, Dallas, TX, liked the term “red emerald.” Fred Rowe of House of Onyx, Greenville, Ky, has promoted the material as “American red emerald” for 1 or 2 years. “People who are the owners of red beryl call it red emerald,” he asserts, “and people who don’t demand that’s wrong until they own one.”
When the name was suggested in the 1991 World Coloured Stone Organisation Congress, it sparked heated conversation. A little, but vocal, group of red beryl dealers felt that organisation with the word “emerald” would help boost sales. But gemological and geological purists argued that such usage of the word “emerald” was paradoxical to its normal meaning. The word sprung from the Greek “smaragdos” and was employed to explain green stones. The Oxford English Compendium says the term “emerald” was linked with the colour green as far in the past as 1634 A.D.
Whatever the name of this valuable gem, it’s deep colour and impressive glint is sure to leave you dumbfounded. Speak to your jeweler about how to incorporate red beryl in your next custom jewellery design.
Tiziana et Maximilien
