Diamond vs. Morganite - Difference Between Diamond and Morganite

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 jewelry! Imagine getting your hands on an accessory embellished with stunning gemstones that not only enhances your look but also adds to your unique personality.

Natural vs Lab Grown Gemstone

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 mesmerizing 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 color 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
Color	Colorless/white, enhanced black, enhanced blue, coffee and other fancy colors	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 jewelry world
Price	Colorless/white diamonds are expensive due to their beauty, rarity and high demand	Moderately priced

• Color

Diamond – The most sought-after and widely known color of diamond is white, also called colorless. However, not many would know that you can also get your hands on diamonds in colors 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-colored diamonds.

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Morganite – Found in dreamy pink to orange-pink and peach shades, morganite exudes other-worldly charm and romance. This peach beauty gets its stunning color from the traces of manganese in its chemical composition. Due to its attractive color, more and more people are investing in morganite rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings today.

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• 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 luster.

• Sparkle & Brilliance

Diamond – Want to get a jewelry 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 jewelry 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 jewelry 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 favorite 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 color, morganite exudes romance and a very contemporary vibe. Isn’t that something most modern couples want to make their dreamy proposal a hit? Symbolizing 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 color 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 color through certain treatments, usually irradiation. Also, naturally occurring blue diamonds are super rare. So, color enhancement treatments like irradiation are used to turn colorless 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 color with yellow and orange undertones. In order to enhance the color 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 jewelry 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 favorite gems.

• Price

Diamond – Colorless/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 color 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 honor 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.