Is Golden Beryl a Good Gem Choice for Jewelry?

Golden beryl, also known as heliodor, can display rich colors and is an excellent gem choice for jewelry. Learn more about this golden relative of emerald.

Home Learning Center Gemology Questions About Gems and JewelryIs Golden Beryl a Good Gem Choice for Jewelry?

By International Gem Society

Question:I want to know more about golden beryl. Is it rare? What is its retail value? Is it a good stone for jewelry?

cushion-cut heliodor — Golden beryl is also called heliodor, from the Greek for "gift of the sun." Cushion-cut heliodor, 1.7 cts. © Sarah McNaught Bespoke Faceting. Used with permission.

Answer: The beryl family includes some of the most well-known gemstones, like emeralds and aquamarines, and some of the rarest, like red beryls. Beautiful stones in their own right, golden beryls can make striking faceted gems for jewelry.

Golden Beryl Value

A golden beryl's value depends on its shade of color and size. Its colors range from pale yellow and yellow-green to orange-yellow and deep golden orange.

oval-cut golden beryl — Oval-cut golden beryl. Photo by Pithecanthropus4152. Licensed under CC By-SA 3.0.

Pale yellows and yellow-greens don't see high demand. Stones up to 10 carats with richer colors retail for up to $150 per carat, while those 10 carats or larger could fetch up to $265 per carat. Gems with greater clarity can also command higher prices. Our gem price guide has retail values for all beryl varieties.

One of my favorite gems, golden beryl can show some of the richest colors in the gem world. These gemstones are easy to cut and polish quickly with diamond.

Donald Clark, CSM IMG

faceted golden beryl — Faceted heliodor. Photo by DonGuennie. Licensed under CC By-SA 4.0.

Photo by <a href=https://www.gemsociety.org/article/is-golden-beryl-a-good-gem-choice-for-jewelry/"https://www.flickr.com/photos/mhowry/">Matt Howry</a>. Licensed under <a href=https://www.gemsociety.org/article/is-golden-beryl-a-good-gem-choice-for-jewelry/"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode">CC By 2.0</a>." src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="responsive" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%"/>

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Photo courtesy of <a href=https://www.gemsociety.org/article/is-golden-beryl-a-good-gem-choice-for-jewelry/"https://www.liveauctioneers.com/">liveauctioneers.com and <a href=https://www.gemsociety.org/article/is-golden-beryl-a-good-gem-choice-for-jewelry/"https://www.liveauctioneers.com/auctioneer/1081/eros-auctions-inc/">Eros Auctions, Inc</a>." src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="responsive" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;object-position:50% 50%"/>

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