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Pink stones are yielded by (1) corundum (pink sapphire), (2) spinel (balas ruby), (3) tourmaline (rubellite), (4) true topaz (almost always artificially altered), (5) beryl (morganite), (6) spodumene (kunzite), and (7) quartz (rose-quartz).
These pink minerals are not easily differentiated by color alone, as the depth and quality of the pink vary greatly in different specimens of the same mineral and in the different minerals. There is dichroism in the cases of pink sapphire, pink tourmaline (strong), pink topaz (strong), pink beryl (less pronounced), and kunzite (very marked and with a yellowish tint in some directions that contrasts with the beautiful violet tint in another direction in the crystal). Pink quartz is almost always milky, and shows little dichroism. Pink spinel is without dichroism, being singly refracting. Hardness and specific gravity tests will best serve to distinguish pink stones from each other. The color alone is not a safe guide. |
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Precious Stones Guide Vol 7
>> Distinguishing Pink Stones
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