ENGAGEMENT RING

Should I Buy a Morganite Engagement Ring?

Beautiful morganite engagement ring

As Wedding Know How editors, we write about things that we love and we think you'll like too. We have affiliate partnerships and sponsorship and may generate some revenue from these at no cost to you.

For the bride-to-be who wants something different, a morganite offers an excellent alternative. It’s unique, affordable and looks stunning. Morganite is also highly versatile and suits a range of ring styles. What’s not to love?

But what are the downsides of a morganite engagement ring, and will I get ring regret? Let’s take a look.

What is Morganite?

Morganite, named after the famous banker and gemstone enthusiast J.P. Morgan, is part of the beryl family of gemstones. It’s made of aluminum beryllium silicate and is a cousin to emerald, goshenite and aquamarine. It’s often called pink emerald or rose beryl.

Morganite is known for its range of delicate, pinkish hues which is the result of trace elements of manganese and cesium. The most popular morganite color is salmon-pink and pink but there’s a large spectrum of pinks to choose from, ranging from light to vivid.

Like emeralds, morganite ranks 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, meaning it’s durable and hard enough for an engagement ring but is can chip and scratch if subject to rough exposure. But there’s no getting around it – morganite is just not as durable as popular engagement ring stones like diamonds, sapphires and moissanite.

Morganites are often heat treated to bring out desirable colors from the stone. This doesn’t impact the value of the stone, and note that this is a common industry practice frequently carried out on rubies, sapphires and emeralds too.

There’s a chance your stone gets cloudy or loses its luster, and in some cases, may even need replacement.  But this is rare and most morganite wearers claim their rings hold up well. To be fair, all gemstones need maintenance and even diamonds can get damaged. Maintenance and appropriate care are part and parcel of any engagement ring.

Reasons to Choose a Morganite Engagement Ring

Bride wearing morganite engagement ring

See this ring here

Morganite ring on light skin

See this ring here

Morganite is gorgeous on any skin tone.

Morganite is ideal for a non-traditional bride who wants a unique engagement ring. Here are the pros of choosing a morganite engagement ring:

  1. It’s affordable – morganite gives you good bang for your buck and can be over 10 times less expensive than a diamond. A good quality morganite can cost about $300 per carat while a diamond can easily cost over $5000 for a good quality 1 carat stone. But note that these rings aren’t cheap. A high-quality morganite will still cost several hundred dollars, if not thousands.
  2. It’s beautiful – the peachy, pink color of morganite is feminine and delicate, ideal for an engagement ring. It has an elegant, attractive appeal that makes it shine.
  3. It’s unique – while almost every bride-to-be gravitates towards a diamond ring, morganite rings are much rarer meaning that you’ll be one of the few wearing them. This makes your ring unique and choice stand out.
  4. It suits all skin tones – morganite tends to complement tan to dark skin tones best but it can be pulled off by any complexion. It’s one of those colors that bring the best look out of anyone.
  5. It’s durable – morganite isn’t diamond-hard, but it’s hard enough to wear regularly or even daily. Simply give it reasonable maintenance and it’s bound to last you a lifetime.
  6. It’s shiny – again, it’s not diamond-shiny but morganite has a quiet, confident sparkle that brings out the brightness of your stone. Keep it clean to ensure this shine doesn’t get hidden under dirt.
  7. It’s symbolic – morganite represents love, warmth and maintaining a relationship.  
  8. It’s rare – unlike diamonds, morganites are actually rare and finding high-quality material is not always easy.

But as with all things, there’s two sides to the story. Some reasons to avoid a morganite engagement ring:

  1. It needs cleaning – morganite can get dirty quickly and needs to be cleaned on a periodic basis to ensure the stone is shiny and beautiful. Note that everybody has a different experience, and some may have stones that need more cleaning than others. The type of setting you choose has a lot to do with how the morganite looks. If the setting traps dirt, the morganite will look dull and cloudy. Choose a setting that lets the morganite gleam.
  2. Quality matters – while diamonds are regulated and evaluated by certifying bodies like the GIA, AGS, EGL and so on, there’s no standard for a morganite ring except what individual shops may choose to give you.
  3. May need repolishing – as your morganite ages, it might need to be recut or re-polished to maintain its shine and reduce scratch marks. This, of course, varies from stone to stone.

How to Choose a High Quality Morganite

With no industry standards or certifying labs, how would you know your morganite is of good quality? Here are the main quality factors when choosing morganite:

  1. Color – color is the most important factor for morganite. Vivid pink hued morganites are considered the best, while salmon or peach colored morganites seem not as popular. However, note that color comes down to personal preference so go with what you think looks best.
Pink morganite engagement ring

Beautiful pink morganite engagement ring.

See this ring here

Salmon colored morganite ring

Stylish salmon colored morganite ring.

See this ring here

  • Clarity and Luster – most morganite used in jewelry have very few visible inclusions, meaning that these stones typically have excellent clarity. The luster is vitreous and appealing. Always choose a stone with no visible inclusions and beautiful luster.
  • Cut – morganites are typically faceted as this brings out the luster and adds texture to the stone. Cabochon cut morganites are cute and appealing, in a different way. Look for symmetry in cut that accentuates the beauty of the stone. Brilliant cuts like the princess, round, cushion, oval and pear are popular while emerald cut morganites are also highly sought after.
  • Carat – the larger a diamond, the more expensive the stone. With morganites, this isn’t the case. Large morganites aren’t much different in price to smaller stones. But note that larger sized stones can look glassy and, in some cases,, have a tacky appearance. Choose a quality looking stone and have it set in a ring setting that complements it.
  • Treatment – I mentioned this above but I’ll say it again. Heat treatment is common so don’t let that scare you away from morganite. It’s a way to stabilize the color of the stone and make it durable.
  • Certification – ask for a gemological certificate from your retailer if you’re buying an authentic morganite. The seller should be able to provide a document stating that the stone is what it’s supposed to be.

Best Settings and Styles for Morganite Engagement Rings

Morganites tend to pair best with rose gold, because the pink of the metal seamlessly combines with the pink hues of the stone. However, when paired with yellow gold, morganite takes on a gorgeous, vintage charm while white gold gives it a more crisp, modern look.

Morganite ring in yellow gold setting

Morganite in yellow gold.

See this ring here

White gold morganite ring

Morganite in white gold with rose gold basket.

See this ring here

If you’re opting for either a white metal or yellow gold, it’s a good idea to have a rose gold basket to hold the morganite, as this’ll emphasize the color of the stone. One downside to this is that dirt can get trapped in the grooves of the basket under the stone and make the morganite appear dull and dirty from the top view.

Some of the most popular morganite ring settings include:

  • Prong settings – these hold the morganite up high and emphasizes its color and clarity. Prong settings are also easier to keep clean.
  • Halo setting – halo adds sparkle and brilliance to the morganite, especially if it’s a ring of diamonds. Halo also provides an added buffer of protection for the stone.
  • Bezel setting – cute and minimalist, a bezel setting protects the morganite but may reduce its size and sparkle.
  • Vintage settings – these are our favorite for morganite gemstones. Vintage ring designs bring out a quaint charm in morganite stones and look stunning.

Will I Get Morganite Engagement Ring Regret?

Some brides who opt for a non-traditional engagement ring sometimes get ring regret, wishing they had stuck with a more traditional engagement ring choice like diamonds or sapphires. An engagement ring is something you plan to love and wear for the rest of your life, so if you’ve fallen out of love with your ring, it can be heart-breaking.

Most women who choose a large, shiny, diamond ring rarely get ring regret but sometimes, morganite can cause ring regret.

Here’s what some women who opted for morganite say on online forums:

Jennifer: I picked out my morganite engagement ring because I didn’t want an unethical diamond. Since then, though, it’s gotten a bit cloudy, I rarely get compliments on it and I just don’t like it anymore. I have ring regret and don’t know what to do.

Melissa: I wanted morganite and got it, and while it’s not a diamond, I think its pretty and different. People don’t always think it’s an engagement ring, because well… it’s not a diamond.

Heather: I chose a moissanite engagement ring and my regret is that I didn’t pick out something with color. I would have loved to have a moissanite but I’m stuck with the colorless moissanite.

Maria: After 3 years, my morganite is still flawless and I wouldn’t have got anything else. I recommend buying a high quality morganite. And choose a setting that lets the morganite shine and sparkle.

Whether you get ring regret or not depends on a number of factors, all of which are subjective. Consider these options before you purchase your morganite engagement ring:

  • Is durability your number 1 concern? Then it’s better to opt for a harder stone like diamond or moissanite.
  • Do you care what others say? People might ask you why you didn’t get a diamond and you may not get as many compliments on your ring as you’d like. Some people might think you bought a morganite because a diamond is too expensive. If you don’t care about these comments, then stick with your decision to get a morganite.
  • Almost everyone moves towards diamonds just because that’s how it’s been done for a while. If you don’t mind breaking these social traditions and getting what your heart desires, go with a morganite.
  • What does your engagement ring mean to you and what do you want it to say? If a morganite ring expresses your personality and style better, why not?