Editors

5 Things to Know About … Red Beryl

EditorsSep 15, 2020

5 Things to Know About … Red Beryl

It’s the gemstone also known as bixbite, but there are some in the trade who think it should be called red emerald.

20200915_Red-beryl-header.jpg
A 2.24-carat untreated red beryl from gemstone seller Kyle Hunter of Benitoite Kid
You all know the saturated blueish-green to green variety of beryl well—it’s emerald, of course.

You definitely also know the green-blue to blue beryl we call aquamarine and, most likely, its pink to orange-pink cousin, morganite.

But what about the red variety of the mineral? It’s a rare one so it doesn’t have a lot of exposure, but gem connoisseurs love it.

Red beryl is a one-source gemstone that is extremely rare.

The Utah Geological Survey estimates that for every 150,000 gem-quality diamonds unearthed, one crystal of red beryl is found.

The gemstone gets its rich color from trace amounts of manganese and is a 7.5-8 on the Mohs hardness scale.

Red beryl is also known as bixbite after its discoverer, mineralogist Maynard Bixby, but that label has been discredited by various gem experts and trade associations, like CIBJO, because it’s easily confused with another mineral named after the same man—bixbyite.

Here are five things to know about this gorgeous red gemstone.

1. Gem-quality material comes from only one place.

Bixby found this member of the beryl family more than a century ago, in 1904, at his claim in the Thomas Range in Utah.

According to the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, after Bixby’s early discovery, prospector Lamar Hodges found a second deposit of red beryl at what came to be known as the “Ruby Violet” mine in the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah.

Wah Wah is the only locality in the world known to have produced gem-quality red beryl. According to an article from the Gemological Institute of America, as of 2003 only about 60,000 carats had been mined. 

Red beryl has been found at a few other locations in the United States , but at these locations, the crystals are generally too small, short or imperfect to facet.

Currently, there is no commercial production of gem-quality red beryl, according to several sources. 

One of the owners of the Red Beryl Mine in Utah confirmed there is no production at the site and that they do not allow anyone on the premises to dig. 


2. Not surprisingly, big sizes and fine quality stones are hard to find.

This can be said for many colored gemstones, especially when you reach the higher-quality tiers.

But according to Gem-A, a 2-carat red beryl is considered as rare as a 40-carat diamond, and the largest known faceted red beryl is 8 carats.

Resource website Geology.com says the largest red beryl crystals found at the Ruby Violet claim are about 2 cm wide and 5 cm long but added that most gem-quality crystals are under 1 cm long and most faceted beryl stones are 0.25 carats or less.

For gemstone wholesaler Equatorian Imports, the average size is around 0.08 carats, Monte Zajicek said. A 0.40-carat stone is large, and 1 carat is “exceptional,” he added.

The average faceted stone size Hunter sees isn’t far off: 0.10 carats. He said most gemstones are 1 to 4 mm and “anything larger is a treat.”

In addition to being small, there’s a good amount of red beryl production not of gem quality.

According to GIA, only about 10 percent of the goods coming from Wah Wah were of a quality that could be faceted, while gemstone and mineral seller Hunter estimated the amount of gem-quality material is below 5 percent, even with taking into account stones that have been clarity-enhanced to become gem quality.

All of this is to say: Red beryl is the rarest of the beryl family and one of the rarest gemstones overall.

Luckily, most pieces of red beryl from the Ruby Violet area have a rich, saturated red hue, providing a great pop of color even when it’s only melee.

3. There’s always a market for red beryl, faceted or otherwise.

High demand for red beryl stems from several factors, the first being its rarity.

According to Equatorian Imports’ Zajicek, the gemstone is also benefiting from a demand for American-mined goods.

RELATED CONTENT: 5 Things to Know About … American Gems

But, he also noted, most demand for red beryl is coming from Japan, with a growing demand from Asian countries overall. 

 
Gemstone and mineral seller Kyle Hunter  added demand has increased “a decent amount” over the last four to six years as old collections recirculate on the market.

“As the public becomes more aware of this mineral, the need to have a piece in their collection goes through the roof,” he said.

He, too, noted a rising demand from the Asian market interested in the gemstone’s intense red color but added that some U.S. collectors—especially those from Utah—“are doing their best to keep some of it here … as they feel an extra attraction to the stone for being from their home state.”

There’s also a strong demand from mineral collectors, attracted not only to the color but also the hexagonal crystal shape of a well-formed rough red beryl.

Hunter said a crystal on matrix (still embedded in its host rock) has a high chance of being left as a specimen to preserve its beauty, while a red beryl crystal with great clarity off matrix would more than likely be cut, especially as value and demand continue to rise without a new supply in sight.

4. Fine pieces go for top dollar.

Red beryl is rare and beautiful, and its prices can really show it.

Color-matched melee with a strong red hue can sell for more than $1,000 per carat, Geology.com reported, while “nice” gems weighing more than 1 carat—very rare, as noted before—cost several thousand dollars per carat.

Zajicek said pricing for red beryl tends to be roughly double that of emerald, but for Hunter, pricing can range quite a bit—selling anywhere from $500 per carat to $30,000 per carat, based on factors like size, color and whether the stone has been clarity enhanced, which is done to the vast majority of red beryl.

Hunter said mineral specimens can be more affordable for the average collector; a crystal off matrix (no longer embedded in its host rock) can sell for as little as $25.

5. There are some who prefer another name for this gemstone.

Besides red beryl and bixbite, there’s a third name for the material that’s preferred by some: red emerald.

Those against the use of the term argue that “emerald” refers to saturated green beryl only and worry it deceives consumers. In its article about red beryl, Gem-A said the term should be “decried” by gemologists, and Geology.com called it a misnomer.

But the team at Dallas-based Equatorian Imports is in support of calling it red emerald for a few very specific reasons, with the first being that red beryl has more in common with emeralds than it does with other gem beryl varieties.

Faceted aquamarine and morganite, for example, often are eye-clean. Green emeralds and red beryl, by comparison, often have inclusions, falling under GIA Clarity Grade Type III.

Additionally, unlike the lighter-colored beryl, emeralds and red beryl routinely have surface-reaching fissures, which affect color by altering the path of light through the stone but also provide places for grease or water to hide and can mean a risk for damage.

This means both beryl types—emerald green and red—are often clarity enhanced.

This photo from Equatorian Imports shows a red beryl mineral specimen alongside an emerald crystal to showcase the similarities between the two varieties of beryl.
This photo from Equatorian Imports shows a red beryl mineral specimen alongside an emerald crystal to showcase the similarities between the two varieties of beryl.

Equatorian’s third reason has to do with care: calling them “red emeralds” will help alert jewelers to the fact that they should be handled with the same care as if they were their green counterparts, the company argues.

Zajicek said they always list them as “Red Emerald (Beryl)” on invoices to let the customer decide but believe using “emerald” helps better convey rarity.

In a 1999 article that appeared in Professional Jeweller, gem expert Mary Johnson listed other similarities between red beryl and emeralds, including formation similarities, color zoning patterns, faceting considerations and more, such that “a color-blind gemologist … would not be able to easily tell the two varieties apart without a spectroscope.”

Antoinette Matlins, author and gemologist consultant, also wrote a piece, noting the similar crystallization patterns shared between the two.

She argued that ultimately, “there is really only one name that associates the gemstone to its mineralogical family, beryl, and quickly and accurately communicates its rarity as well as its color: red emerald.

“This is the one name that makes it clear the red variety has comparable rarity—actually, even greater rarity—and comparable, or higher value, as has been demonstrated at recent top-tier gem and mineral shows.”

In the most recent update to its Jewelry Guides in 2018, the Federal Trade Commission added a section about gemstone varietal names and sought comment from experts before finalizing.

The American Gem Trade Association submitted a letter to the FTC, noting that while it agrees with avoiding deception through misidentification of gem varietals, it found the use of “red beryl/emerald” or “red emerald/beryl” in presenting or selling was not deceptive for many of the same reasons outlined above, provided a full explanation be included as well.

Ultimately, the final draft of the Jewelry Guides advises marketers “not to use incorrect varietal names,” giving examples like using “yellow emerald” to describe heliodor or “green amethyst” for prasiolite.

Though the guides don’t mention “red emerald” directly, the Jewelers Vigilance Committee said it’s highly likely the FTC would find the term deceptive to consumers and, for this reason, suggests companies selling the product not use the phrase.

(Editor’s note: This story was updated on Sept. 17 to remove an erroneous statement about the Red Beryl Mine in Utah. There currently is no production at the site and the mine owner does allow anyone on the premises to dig.)
Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.

The Latest

Bonhams New Bond Street London flagship
AuctionsOct 24, 2025
Bonhams Under New Ownership, Top Executives Replaced

London-based investment firm Pemberton Asset Management acquired the auction house for an undisclosed amount.

Two brooches stolen in the October 2025 heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris
CrimeOct 24, 2025
Video Emerges of Louvre Jewelry Robbers Fleeing the Scene

The footage shows two of the jewelry heist suspects descending from the second floor of the museum and then escaping via scooter.

Wyld Box Jewelry Ray of Light Large Drop Earrings
CollectionsOct 24, 2025
Piece of the Week: Wyld Box Jewelry’s ‘Ray of Light’ Earrings

Founder and designer Rosanna Fiedler looked to a vintage Cartier clutch when designing the sunlight-inspired drop earrings.

BTYB10.25_Header.jpg
Brought to you by
Are Earrings an Overlooked Category? What Retailers Need to Know Now

As the holiday season quickly approaches, consider stocking one category that sometimes gets overlooked: earrings.

Tiffany & Co. Bird on a Rock pendant
FinancialsOct 23, 2025
Jewelry Sales Resilient Despite Struggles at LVMH, Kering

The luxury conglomerates faced a challenging Q3 amid geopolitical and economic tensions.

Weekly QuizOct 16, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Cullinan Diamond Mine plant
SourcingOct 23, 2025
Petra Diamonds Turns to Shareholders to Raise Capital

The struggling diamond mining company, which owns the historic Cullinan mine, has launched a rights issue to raise about $25 million.

Million Dollar Hip Hop Watches by Leon Schäfers, Jeanette Lang, Tobias Kargoll
WatchesOct 23, 2025
‘Million Dollar Hip Hop Watches’ Recounts Watch History

The book details the journey of watches as symbols of hard-earned success in hip-hop for artists like 2Pac, Jay-Z, and more.

LIM-401 2024 National Jeweler Supplier Bulletin- iD100 Web and Eblast FINAL (2) (1).jpg
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your Business

You deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.

Alexis Vourvoulis
AuctionsOct 23, 2025
Freeman’s | Hindman Names New VP, Senior Specialist for Jewelry & Watches

Alexis Vourvoulis, who most recently worked at Tiffany & Co., brings more than two decades of jewelry experience to her new role.

Taylor Swift engagement ring Greenwich St
TrendsOct 22, 2025
The Taylor Swift Effect: Antique Diamonds Edition

The superstar’s August engagement put the stamp of approval on an already hot engagement ring trend.

Rahaminov Diamonds Emerald-Cut Diamond Bracelet
TrendsOct 22, 2025
Don’t Forget These Diamond Jewelry Trends When Stocking for the Holidays

Retailers should offer classic styles with a twist that are a perfect fit for layered looks, experts say.

Fancy vivid purplish pink diamond
AuctionsOct 22, 2025
Pink Diamond, Vanderbilt Jewels to Headline Phillips’ Geneva Auction

The nearly 7-carat fancy vivid purplish pink diamond could sell for around $9 million.

“Storied Diamond Desert Sands of Eternity” engagement ring and wedding band
SourcingOct 22, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey

The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.

Tiffany & Co. Bird on a Rock by Tiffany High Jewelry Lariat
CollectionsOct 22, 2025
Tiffany & Co.’s ‘Bird on a Rock’ Finds New Perch

Chief Artistic Officer Nathalie Verdeille has reimagined the iconic design in both figurative and abstract creations.

Jewelers for Children Halloween contest
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
JFC Kicks Off Halloween Costume Challenge

Five dollars buys one vote toward an industry professional you want to see dressed up as a hero, or a villain, this Halloween.

Hillsborough show
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2025
Hillsborough Antique Show Gets New Owner

Recently acquired by KIL Promotions, the November edition of the public show in San Mateo, California, will be held Nov. 7-9.

Bicolor pink and colorless diamond
GradingOct 21, 2025
GIA Examines Rare Bicolor Pink Diamond

The stone’s two zones, one pink and one colorless, may have formed at two different times, the lab said.

Pomellato Rodeo Drive Flagship Exterior
MajorsOct 21, 2025
Pomellato Brings ‘Global Attitude’ to Rodeo Drive Flagship

Hollywood glamour meets Milanese sophistication in the design of Pomellato’s new store in Beverly Hills, California.

Grown Brilliance NYC Flagship Exterior
Lab-GrownOct 21, 2025
Grown Brilliance Opens First Flagship

The New York City store showcases a chandelier with 1,500 carats of lab-grown diamonds designed by an FIT student.

Douriean Fletcher Messenger Collection
Events & AwardsOct 21, 2025
‘Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture’ Opens at MAD

The Museum of Arts and Design's new exhibition features 75 pieces by the designer, best known for her work in the “Black Panther” films.

Sothebys the glowing rose pink diamond
AuctionsOct 20, 2025
Sotheby's To Auction 10-Carat Vivid Pink Diamond

Making its auction debut, "The Glowing Rose" is expected to fetch $20 million at the November jewelry sale in Geneva.

2025_Gemfields logo.jpg
SourcingOct 20, 2025
2 Mozambique Police Officers Killed at Gemfields’ Ruby Mine

They were attacked on Oct. 15, as approximately 40 miners without licenses marched on the mine’s gate.

Empress Eugénie’s pearl and diamond tiara
CrimeOct 20, 2025
See the ‘Priceless’ Jewels Stolen During Daytime Heist at the Louvre

It took the masked thieves less than 10 minutes to steal eight irreplaceable jewels from two display cases in the museum’s Apollo Gallery.

Lauren Gayda
SourcingOct 20, 2025
Pristine Gems Names New Director of European Sales

Gemologist Lauren Gayda has previously worked at The Clear Cut, Taylor & Hart, and Effy Jewelry.

Charles London, Mayer and Fran Udell, Mark and Candy Udell
IndependentsOct 17, 2025
From the Jazz Age to the Information Age: London Jewelers Turns 100

In 2026, the jewelry retailer will celebrate a milestone only a small percentage of family-owned businesses survive to see.

The Edit – A Gallery of Italian Jewelry Masterpieces Graphic
Events & AwardsOct 17, 2025
An Edit of Italian Jewels Is Coming to NYC

The new showcase dedicated to Italian jewelry design is set for Oct. 29-30.

Judi Powers Jewelry Stella Earrings
TrendsOct 17, 2025
Piece of the Week: Judi Powers Jewelry’s ‘Stella’ Earrings

Take a gaze at the sky with this pair of platinum diamond-set star earrings with blue lace agate drops.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy