Heliodor
yellow · Beryl family
| Also known as | Beryl (Beryl family) |
|---|---|
| Colour | Yellow |
| Mohs hardness | 7.5–8.0 |
| Lustre | Vitreous to resinous |
| Streak | White |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal |
| Transparency | Transparent to translucent |
| Cleavage | Imperfect on {0001} |
| Fracture | Conchoidal to irregular |
| Specific gravity | 2.63–2.92 |
What is Heliodor?
Beryl ( BERR-əl) is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2(SiO3)6. Well-known varieties of beryl include emerald and aquamarine. Naturally occurring hexagonal crystals of beryl can be up to several meters in size, but terminated crystals are relatively rare. Pure beryl is colorless, but it is frequently tinted by impurities; possible colors are green, blue, yellow, pink, and red (the rarest). It is an ore source of beryllium.
How to identify Heliodor
- Lustre: Vitreous to resinous.
- Hardness: Mohs 7.5–8.0 — hard enough to scratch glass.
- Streak: White.
- Habit: Hexagonal crystal system.
Heliodor value
Heliodor is a fine gemstone priced per carat by quality — colour, clarity, cut, carat and origin — not by weight in grams. Typical market ranges:
| Quality | Price per carat |
|---|---|
| Commercial | $10–$40 / ct |
| Good | $40–$150 / ct |
| Fine | $90–$400 / ct |
| Top | $200–$700 / ct |
Ranges cross-validated across two independent research passes against gemstone price guides, 2026-06 — sources: gemsociety.org, gemrockauctions.com. Colour saturation, clarity, cut and origin move the price enormously, and treatments or lab-grown stones sell for a fraction — so this is a guide, not an appraisal. Have anything valuable checked by a certified gemmologist. See the full crystal & gemstone value guide.
