Morganite Round Crystal Bracelet 8mm

Love arrives, love changes, and sometimes love ends, and through all three morganite asks the heart to stay open. It is the pink to peach member of the beryl family, sister stone to emerald and aquamarine, and its blush is clear and bright, the kind of colour that makes people soften without quite knowing why. Gem-quality pink beryl was found in Madagascar and California early in the twentieth century, and in 1911 the gemmologist George Kunz proposed naming it after the financier and gem collector J. P. Morgan. The name stuck, and so did its gentleness: few stones look quite so kind.

Its name is little more than a century old, and modern practice gives morganite to the Heart Chakra, the Hindu and Vedic tradition's centre of love, compassion and forgiveness, in keeping with its blush of colour.

Love in all its forms is morganite's territory: drawing it in, keeping it well, and letting it go with grace when the time comes. It is known for gently clearing stress and old wounds from the emotional body, for softening our fear, resentment and anger, and for bringing a measure of peace through grief and loss. It is also said to grow a quiet confidence in those of us who wear it. In the tradition it is tied to the heart and lungs. Above all, it speaks to a heart that wants to stay soft without staying hurt.

Morganite has a colour like the first light of morning, a pale rose that can lean toward apricot, and a faceted stone seems to hold the light rather than flash it back. It is clear and silky-cool to the touch, and the softness of the colour is disarming; people tend to smile the moment they see it. Against the skin it takes on a gentle glow, as though it has borrowed a little warmth from whoever wears it.

Engagements, anniversaries and new relationships bring many of us to morganite, and just as often we choose it for ourselves after a breakup or a loss, when the heart needs gentleness more than advice. It is usually worn close to the heart or on the hand, so comfort and openness are always within reach. Some keep it on through grief, others wear it while they learn to love themselves a little more, and it often wins over anyone who finds stronger pinks too much.

Morganite (Mohs 7.5-8) is a hard, forgiving stone to wear. Cleanse with running water, sound, moonlight, or smoke. Keep it from harsh chemicals and high heat, and a soft cloth brings back its glow after a day's wear.