Who doesn’t love to sparkle, shine and turn heads from dusk to dawn? We all do, right? And that can be best done with the help of a gorgeous piece of jewellery! Imagine getting your hands on an accessory embellished with stunning gemstones that not only enhances your look but also adds to your unique personality.
Want to know about two such brilliant gems that make you ready to face the world from 9 AM – 9 PM in just a matter of seconds? They are, undoubtedly, the breathtaking diamond and the mesmerising morganite. ‘Which one to choose,’ you ask? Go ahead and read everything about diamond vs. morganite that will help you select the perfect gem for yourself!
But first, let’s tell you a little about the two stones. Popularly known as a woman’s best friend, the diamond sure doesn’t need an introduction. However, it is worth noting that it is made of a single element – carbon, and its unique chemical composition as well as formation process make it absolutely extraordinary.
On the other hand, a relatively new gem, morganite belongs to the beryl mineral family just like aquamarine and emerald. Due to its beautiful colour and eye-catching brilliance, this gemstone is surely a treat for the eyes.
What’s more, continue reading to know more about morganite vs. diamond: the differences.
Diamond vs. Morganite: What’s the Difference?
| Diamond | Morganite | |
| Colour | colourless/white, enhanced black, enhanced blue, coffee and other fancy colours | Pink to orange-pink, peach |
| Clarity | Available in different clarity grades from flawless to included | Usually eye-clean with great transparency |
| Sparkle & Brilliance | 60% more brilliant than morganites | Great sparkle and brilliance |
| Hardness | 10/10 | 7.5-8/10 |
| Rarity | Extremely rare | Rarer than diamonds |
| Symbolism | Known as the stone of strength, fearlessness, abundance and victory | Symbolic of love, compassion, romance and healing |
| Treatment | White diamonds are not treated | Heat treated |
| Popularity | Most popular and sought-after of all gems | Relatively new to the jewellery world |
| Price | colourless/white diamonds are expensive due to their beauty, rarity and high demand | Moderately priced |
• Colour
Diamond – The most sought-after and widely known colour of diamond is white, also called colourless. However, not many would know that you can also get your hands on diamonds in colours like black, blue, coffee brown, pink, yellow, red, purple and green. While the enhanced black and blue variations are achieved through certain treatments, the other varieties are found naturally and are termed as fancy-coloured diamonds.
Morganite – Found in dreamy pink to orange-pink and peach shades, morganite exudes other-worldly charm and romance. This peach beauty gets its stunning colour from the traces of manganese in its chemical composition. Due to its attractive colour, more and more people are investing in morganite rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings today.
• Clarity
Diamond – Every gemstone features certain inclusions and flaws as a result of their intense formation process. While these flaws are visible to the naked eye in some gemstones, others are typically eye-clean. The same goes for diamonds. Based on this, diamonds can be categorized into different clarity grades ranging from flawless (no inclusions) to slightly included (no visible inclusions) to included (large visible inclusions).
Morganite – Morganites are typically eye-clean, which means their inclusions aren’t visible to the naked eye. However, these inclusions can be viewed upon magnification. Not to forget, this peach beauty also possesses amazing transparency and eye-catching vitreous lustre.
• Sparkle & Brilliance
Diamond – Want to get a jewellery piece with ultimate sparkle and brilliance? A diamond ring should be your top choice! With a high refractive index of 2.42, this gem radiates unmatched sparkle and brilliance. To make the most of it, opt for a round brilliant diamond as the cut helps reflect the maximum amount of light.
Morganite – This gemstone is known for its exceptional brilliance and shine. However, morganite cannot beat diamond at the sparkle game. It has a refractive index of 1.57 – 1.58, which makes it 60% less brilliant than diamond.
• Hardness
Diamond – Scoring a complete 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, diamond is the most durable gemstone of them all. The best part? You can flaunt any diamond jewellery on a daily basis without worrying about damaging the stone.
Morganite – With a rating of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, morganite is a fairly durable gemstone. While it is a great option for every day use, you will have to handle it with a little love and care. So, always make sure to store your morganite jewellery separately, away from harder gemstones like diamond. Also, do not wear it when doing strenuous activities like cleaning, exercising, gardening, etc.
• Rarity
Diamond – Gem-quality diamonds are extremely rare and valuable.
Morganite – Technically, morganites are rarer than diamonds. However, they are a relatively new gem and not many people know about them. As a result, the demand for this gemstone is not very high, making it less valuable.
• Symbolism
Diamond – We all know that diamond engagement rings are an all-time favourite among couples whether they are seeking something classic and timeless or chic and modern. That’s not all! This gemstone’s symbolism also plays an important role here. The stone’s association with eternal love and unity makes it extremely special and perfect for something as significant and romantic as the proposal. Moreover, it is also known as the stone of strength, fearlessness, abundance and victory.
Morganite – Thanks to its lovely colour, morganite exudes romance and a very contemporary vibe. Isn’t that something most modern couples want to make their dreamy proposal a hit? symbolising love, compassion and healing, this gemstone is a great alternative to diamond engagement and wedding rings if you want something pocket-friendly.
• Treatment
Diamond – White diamonds are available in different colour and clarity grades, which also play as deciding factors in their value. However, they aren’t treated. But it is worth noting that the enhanced black diamond achieves its mysterious black colour through certain treatments, usually irradiation. Also, naturally occurring blue diamonds are super rare. So, colour enhancement treatments like irradiation are used to turn colourless diamonds into the vibrant blue. These treatments are permanent and don’t affect the stone’s chemical structure.
Morganite – A naturally occurring morganite will mostly display a peach colour with yellow and orange undertones. In order to enhance the colour and give the stone an even and eye-catching pink-peach hue, it is often heat treated.
• Popularity
Diamond – Diamond has been around for centuries. Back then, it was commonly associated with wealth and superiority. Later it also became symbolic of eternal love and commitment. In addition to the above, the gem’s unmatched hardness, incredible brilliance and extreme rarity are the reasons for its popularity till date. And so, you could say that it is the most sought-after gemstone for all the right reasons!
Morganite – As touched upon before, morganite is relatively new to the jewellery world and not many people know about it. Therefore, it is less popular than diamond. However, a lot of modern couples today are choosing this peach stunner for its beautiful hue and remarkable symbolism, making it one of the new favourite gems.
• Price
Diamond – colourless/white diamonds are the most expensive out there due to their beauty, rarity, popularity and high demand. However, if you wish to own a diamond at a reasonable price, you can opt for a slightly lower colour and clarity grade as well as carat weight. Or you can also try your hands at the gorgeous coffee, enhanced black and enhanced blue diamonds that have a contemporary appeal and are yet relatively inexpensive.
Morganite – We know we said that morganites are rarer than diamonds. However, we also told you that they aren’t so popular and their demand is not very high. This is the reason these spectacular gemstones are moderately priced. What’s more, morganite engagement rings are your best option if you are planning a romantic proposal on a tight budget.
Did You Know?
- Diamond got its name from the Greek word ‘adamas’ meaning indestructible or invincible.
- Called as pink emerald and rose beryl during the time of its discovery at the end of the 19th century, morganite actually got its name in the year 1910. George Kunz, a renowned gemologist proposed the name ‘morganite’ to honour the famous American gemstone collector and banker – John Pierpont Morgan.
Now that you know the difference between diamond and morganite, let’s move on to another interesting comparison between morganite and moissanite. Read our article on morganite vs moissanite to know about all the differences between the two.
Coming to yet another set of stones, the most discussed question here is – are opalite and opal the same? Read our article titled ‘opalite vs. opal – difference between opalite and opal’ to find out.
