Buying Guide

The Gemstone Guide to Green Beryl

About Green Beryl

Loved for
Delicate spring green hues that add freshness and youthful vitality to any jewellery collection.

About Green Beryl
Beryl is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate, with trace amounts of chromium and vanadium giving the gem its soft green colour.

Beryl comes in many shades, with the better-known varieties including the rich, vibrant green of emeralds and the delicate pastel of aquamarines. The name “beryl“ is derived from a Greek word for a “precious bluey green colour-of-sea water stone“ most likely a reference to aquamarine. This term was later adopted for the mineral beryl more widely.

Green beryl is indistinct in terms of mineral structure from emerald. A flawless, high carat green beryl can fetch prices that are commensurate with the better-known precious stone.

Colour
Pure beryl is colorless, but is frequently found as a coloured gemstone, impacted by trace mineral impurities to create colours on the spectrum from green, blue, yellow, pink, red to clear.

Green beryl shares the same mineral structure as emerald. It is sometimes also known as “water emerald“ reflecting the fact that there is also no clear mineral distinction between green beryl and aquamarine (the water stone).

Where it's found
Colombia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Brazil and Pakistan are all important sites for beryl; other deposits have been found in Russia, Afghanistan, Australia, India and China.

Moh hardness
7.5-8 (1 soft to 10 hard)

Birthstone
For May (emerald)

Anniversaries
38th wedding anniversary for beryl; 20th & 35th anniversary for emeralds

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