Hannah’s Reflections ~Goshenite
Hi, I am Hannah.
Each week I will be researching Gemstone Families, and writing my findings here, so you can learn with me.
Today, I will be writing about Goshenite which is in The Beryl Family.
Goshenite (or White Beryl as it is sometimes known) has been named the “mother of gemstones”. Goshenite is also said to be the purest of all gemstones and, in several countries, the gemstone is extremely popular in marital ceremonies. As other Beryls received their color from internal impurities, early gemmologists assumed that the gem must be pure; however, it was later discovered that Goshenite was unique in that it had other chemical impurities that actually suppressed its color. (Interesting, I assumed it was pure too, but it’s amazing that the stone suppresses the impurities to make it clear!)
Measuring 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, it is ideal for setting into a variety of jewelry designs: as with other Beryl gemstones, it suits a variety of cuts, but the step cut is quite a popular one to apply. In Ancient Greece, the Greeks used Goshenite to make the first ever glasses, as its crystal clarity was perfect for lenses. Maybe this is why it is believed that this gemstone can help improve one’s eyesight. (As I have found out before, some Beryl stones were used as glasses, and because of the hardness of the stone they were able to carve/chisel the stone easily without breaking)
Goshenite is a beryllium aluminum silicate with a chemical formula of Be3Al2Si6O18. During formation, it crystallizes in small prismatic shards, vertically striated “icicles”, and hexagonal rods. Goshenite has been used throughout ancient history, but it was officially discovered by American mineralogist Charles Upham Shepard in 1844. He named goshenite after its place of discovery — the small American town of Goshen, Massachusetts.
Thank you for reading! I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog :)