Judging quality
Distinguished from quartz by higher refractive index and from white topaz by a lower one; a refractometer settles it instantly. Crystals show the same flat-terminated hexagonal habit as aquamarine.
Beryl
Goshenite
Colorless beryl — the pure end member with no coloring trace elements at all. It is the parent of every other beryl variety and makes an unusually crisp, clean faceted stone.
Care
Durable and stable in light. Ordinary cleaning.
History & lore
Named for Goshen, Massachusetts, where the type material was found; ground beryl lenses were used as spectacles in medieval Europe, and the German word Brille still carries the root.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Goshenite
- What is Goshenite?
- Colorless beryl — the pure end member with no coloring trace elements at all. It is the parent of every other beryl variety and makes an unusually crisp, clean faceted stone.
- How hard is Goshenite and what is it made of?
- Goshenite is a Beryl-family mineral with the composition Be3Al2Si6O18. It crystallizes in the hexagonal system and rates 7.5-8 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in colorless, clear.
- Where does Goshenite come from?
- Notable localities for Goshenite include Massachusetts, USA, Brazil, Pakistan, Russia.
- How do you tell good Goshenite from filler?
- Distinguished from quartz by higher refractive index and from white topaz by a lower one; a refractometer settles it instantly. Crystals show the same flat-terminated hexagonal habit as aquamarine.
- How do you care for Goshenite?
- Durable and stable in light. Ordinary cleaning.
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.