Living Coral was named by Pantone Color Institute as the as the color of the year for 2019. Pink transparent gemstones are already difficult to find, so transparent gemstones with the distinct warm golden-pink hue of coral are very rare indeed. Naturally-colored translucent or opaque stones with coral’s warm golden pink hue are a bit easier to find, especially in patterned stones like Agates or Jaspers in combination with other colors.
Pink Diamonds
Diamonds are rare, but warm hued pink stones are the second rarest variety of colored diamonds, extremely expensive, and cost about $100,000 per carat retail. It is thought that pink diamonds owe their color to plastic deformation – meaning their internal structure is subjected to high pressure graining and is then compressed. Though not quite coral in color, high quality Pink Diamonds are found at Argyle Mine in Australia.
Padparadscha Sapphire
Like Pink Diamonds, naturally occurring and untreated Padparadscha Sapphires are quite rare and very expensive, making these golden orange to pink stones one of the most sought-after transparent gemstones in the world. The presence of iron and chromium create the almost-coral color of Padparadschas.
Morganite
Morganite is among the most in-demand gemstones for bridal jewelry. Sometimes called Rose Beryl or Pink Emerald, Morganite is colored by small amounts of manganese and cesium and typically rose, pale or salmon pink.
Carnelian
Typically brown-red, Carnelian is a variety of Chalcedony that has been colored by iron oxide. Carnelian’s hue can range from pale orange to nearly black, and coral-colored translucent material is easily found. Sources for the gemstone include Brazil, India, Siberia and Germany.
Andesine
Andesine is a relatively new gem on the market, and is a red Feldspar with an optical effect similar to Labradorite. The gemstone first appeared around 2003, but its exact origins were not revealed, however natural red Andesine from Congo is one possible origin of this material. Material on the market today is produced in China from artificially enhanced Labradorite using copper and a diffusion treatment.
Spessartite Garnet
Orange to orange-red Garnets are part of a group of related minerals that form popular gemstones. Spessartite is one member mineral in this Garnet group. Spessartite, or Spessartite Garnet is the gem trade the name for the mineral Spessartine. Natural Spessartite is orange in color, but red-orange or brown-orange stones indicate the presence of iron impurities. Pure orange stones are uncommon though fiery-red orange stones combined with Spessartite’s high refractive index give these gemstones a very attractive brilliance.
Sunstone
Sunstone is another transparent to opaque Feldspar having a coral-orange or red-orange color combined with a glittery appearance. The optical effect is called Aventurescence and is caused by mineral inclusions of Hematite, Goethite or Pyrite. It may also exhibit four-rayed asterism stars, so these gemstones are called Star Sunstones. Sunstone rarely displays a cat’s eye optical effect.
Fire Opal
Precious Opals come in many varieties. Fire Opal, or Mexican Fire Opal, is a transparent to translucent form of common Opal in orange to red. Though it is predominantly a common opal, Fire Opal can rarely display play of color, and stones with this phenomenon are called Precious Fire Opals.
Peach Moonstone
Moonstone is a popular gemstone of the feldspar group. Most Moonstone readily displays a floating color sheen caused by structural anomalies within the crystal formation known as adularescence, and is similar in color to moonlight. Moonstone ranges from transparent to translucent white and through several colors, including orange and pink. Both Orthoclase and Oligoclase Moonstones occur, and the gemstone can be a member of either or both feldspar groups.
Precious Coral
Last, but not least, Coral is not a mineral, but an organic remnant of the skeletal material generated by living marine organisms called coral polyps. Most coral is white, but Coral also grows in several other colors including warm pink, orange and red. Because Coral is a critically important but endangered marine animal and in steep decline worldwide, Pantone’s “Living Coral” hue is not only gorgeous – it can commemorate and remind us of the amazing creatures that created the gemstone. Please purchase Coral and all organic gems from reputable and sustainable sources.
