Sign In

Sign Up
English speaking customer support only

Toll Free - USA & Canada only:
1-800-464-1640

International:
+66-39609697
Change Language
- English
- Français
- Español
- Italiano
- Deutsch
- Pусский
- 中文
- 日本語
- العربية
USD
Change Currency
- EUR = Euro
- GBP = British Pound
- USD = U.S. Dollar
- AED = United Arab Emirates Dirham
- AUD = Australian Dollar
- BHD = Bahraini Dinar
- BND = Brunei Dollar
- CAD = Canadian Dollar
- CHF = Swiss Franc
- CNY = Chinese Yuan
- CZK = Czech Koruna
- DKK = Danish Krone
- EGP = Egyptian Pound
- EUR = Euro
- GBP = British Pound
- HKD = Hong Kong Dollar
- IDR = Indonesian Rupiah
- ILS = Israeli New Shekel
- INR = Indian Rupee
- IQD = Iraqi Dinar
- JOD = Jordanian Dinar
- JPY = Japanese Yen
- KRW = South Korean Won
- KWD = Kuwaiti Dinar
- MXN = Mexican Peso
- MYR = Malaysian Ringgit
- NOK = Norwegian Krone
- NZD = New Zealand Dollar
- OMR = Omani Rial
- PHP = Philippine Piso
- PLN = Polish Złoty
- QAR = Qatari Riyal
- RUB = Russian Ruble
- SAR = Saudi Riyal
- SEK = Swedish Krona
- SGD = Singapore Dollar
- TWD = New Taiwan Dollar
- USD = U.S. Dollar
- VND = Vietnamese Dồng
- ZAR = South African Rand

Bixbite: Red Beryl Gemstones

Faceted Red Beryl / Bixbite

Emerald is the most famous member of the beryl family, which also includes aquamarine, morganite and golden beryl. But emerald is not the rarest of the beryls. That distinction belongs to red beryl, which is also known by the name bixbite.

All the members of the beryl family are beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate by chemical composition. Pure beryl is actually colorless; the various colors occur from the presence of impurities, such as chromium and vanadium (emerald), iron (aquamarine, golden beryl) and manganese (morganite, red beryl). White or colorless beryl is known as goshenite.

Red beryl or bixbite was first described in 1904 based on a discovery at Maynard's Claim in the Thomas Mountains in Western Utah, USA. It was named after Maynard Bixby (1853-1935), an American mineralogist. The name bixbite has now been deprecated by CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, to avoid confusion with another mineral, bixbyite, also named after Maynard Bixby.

Concentrations of red beryl at the initial site were very small and the material was not gem-quality. Facetable material was not discovered until 1958 by Lamar Hodges, who was prospecting for uranium in the Wah Wah Mountains of Beaver County, in Southwestern Utah. Twelve claims were staked: Ruby, 1 through 4; and violet, 1 through 8. The claims were worked as a hobby mine by the Hodges family and by intermittent leases, known as the "Ruby Violet Claims."

Red Beryl (Bixbite) Crystal

In 1998 a company called Gemstone Mining, Inc. of Utah bought the Ruby Violet Claim for $10 million. The annual yield of red beryl from the mine is only about 5,000 to 7,000 carats a year. GMI is marketing the product as "red emerald," and touts it as one of the rarest gemstones in the world. Prices run as high as $10,000 per carat for top specimens. Most red beryl specimens are under one carat. A 2 to 3 carat stone would be considered very large.

Some of the red gems being marketed as red beryl or bixbite are actually pezzottaite, a new gemstone variety that was discovered in Madagascar. Pezzottaite is also very rare - but not yet as valuable as bixbite. It is a different mineral altogether, with a different chemical composition, density and refractive index. A new find of pezzottaite in Afghanistan has made this new gemstone more widely available. Red beryl is so rare that it is wise to always insist on certification from a recognized gemological lab when buying this gemstone.

About Us

Gemstone Information Sign up for our Newsletter

Overall Rating -> 10

It's important to understand what you are buying. Gem stones all vary significantly and you need to adjust your selection based on purpose, cost, expected out come.In my case I was selecting and very attractive heart shaped stone which once set in a pendent would fall in a specific cost range yet present an attractive picture of luxury without extreme risk e.g loss.

Posted By Bill in May, 2022

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

I have purchased from Gem Select in the past and have been very impressed with the quality of the product Always received as pictured.

Posted By Babs in October, 2022

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

I enjoy the fact that I can decide the clarity cut and colour choice and that I am told everything about gem in the packaging as well ordering was very easy!

Posted By Moopie in September, 2022

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 7