Beryl

October’s child is born for woe,
And life’s vicissitudes must know;
But lay a beryl on her breast,
And hope will lull those woes to rest.

Description

Aquamarine, emerald and morganite are all beryls – just like golden beryl, yellowish-green heliodor, colorless goshenite and the rare red beryl. Whether blue, green, yellow, colorless, or pink, their chemical and physical properties are essentially the same. So where does this diversity come from?

All beryls are made of the mineral beryllium aluminum silicate, and as pure beryl, they are colorless. But due to their structure, they are able to store different foreign chemicals, which turn colorless beryl green, yellow, pink, or blue.

All beryls are brittle and sensitive to pressure.

Pink Beryl

Pink to soft violet shades of beryl, known as morganite, is colored by traces of manganese.

Yellow Beryl

Small traces of iron and uranium make a golden yellow beryl. Iron and uranium make greenish yellow heliodor, so named for the Greek words meaning "gift of the sun".

Colorless Beryl

Colorless beryl is rare and often referred to as goshenite, after the place where it was originally found, Goshen Massachusetts.

Green Beryl

Green beryl is colored by chrome and vanadium. While a very particular shade of green beryl is known as emerald, most green beryl is simply green beryl.

Blue Beryl

Iron colors beryl blue, turning it into aquamarine. Unlike green beryl, all shades of blue beryl are known as aquamarine.

History

In ancient times, beryl was used to make eyeglasses.

Folklore

A Good Luck Charm for Soldiers & Lawyers

During the Middle Ages, beryl was thought to make its wearer unconquerable, and therefore helpful against foes in battle or litigation.

A Cure for Laziness

Beryl was also thought to cure laziness and to make one more friendly.

Some have asserted that beryl reawakens the love between married couples.

Dreaming of Beryl

In Victorian times, dreaming of beryl was thought to foretell that happiness was in store.

Symbolism

Hour: 3:00 pm (beryl)

Birthstone, modern:  October (beryl)
Birthstone, pre-1900, Italian: October (beryl)
Birthstone, pre-1900, Jewish: June (emerald)
Birthstone, pre-1900, Russian: October (beryl)

October’s child is born for woe,
And life’s vicissitudes must know;
But lay a beryl on her breast,
And hope will lull those woes to rest.

When fair October to her brings the beryl,
No longer need she fear misfortune’s peril.

Wedding anniversary, traditional: 19th (aquamarine)

Angel: Barbiel

Apostle: Thomas

Star: Sirius 10º of Cancer

Planet: Venus and Mars

Zodiac: Scorpio

Through Scorpio this gem so fair
Is that which every one should wear,
Or tears of sad repentance bear—The Beryl.

US State:
New Hampshire: official state mineral

Country:
Madagascar: morganite/pink beryl

See also

aquamarine and emerald