On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral / gemstone variety · Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Heliodor / Golden Beryl
Also known asGolden beryl · Yellow Beryl
A trade variety name for yellow beryl; heliodor and golden beryl are often used side by side, and the cause of colour and any treatment need separate testing. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Heliodor / Golden Beryl forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify Heliodor / Golden BerylIdentification points from the research literature; how far lab testing can go
- Treatments and enhancements of Heliodor / Golden BerylThe enhancements and treatments the GB/T and JJA/AGL tables list
- Caring for and wearing Heliodor / Golden BerylCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them
- Hardness, density and refractive index of Heliodor / Golden BerylEach value with its source and check date
- Heliodor / Golden Beryl in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Has any of GIA, FTC, CIBJO or Gem-A put a name for it on record here?
- Listing and disclosing Heliodor / Golden BerylThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define Heliodor / Golden BerylWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Heliodor (also called golden or yellow beryl) is the yellow gem variety of beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18) in the beryl family. It must be strictly distinguished from chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4): the Chinese names are similar, but they are different mineral species. The CIBJO gemstone nomenclature standard lists Heliodor and golden beryl as beryl colour varieties. As a gem beryl, heliodor forms mainly in granitic pegmatites, crystallising from late-stage residual aqueous fluids in pegmatite pockets, and is a characteristic product of rare-alkali (Be, Li, B) pegmatites.
Scope: Covers the naming and formation background of yellow beryl (heliodor/golden beryl); particular note should be taken that it and chrysoberyl are different mineral species.
Sources CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 · GIA Emerald Description · G&G Summer 2025
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022)
- Emerald Gemstone | Emerald Stone – GIA (Gem Encyclopedia)
- Structures Behind the Spectacle: A Review of Optical Effects in Phenomenal Gemstones and Their Underlying Nanotextures
- Colored Stones Unearthed: Gem Granitic Pegmatites (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2025, Vol. 61, No. 2)
Where it forms
Granitic pegmatites, where late residual aqueous fluids crystallise in pockets, are the main setting for heliodor.
Sources G&G Summer 2025
How it forms, step by step
Crustal melting generates granitic magma and Be enters the melt.
The late residual melt enriches in Be, B, F, Li and volatiles and exsolves an aqueous fluid.
The aqueous fluid crystallises yellow beryl and other crystals in pegmatite pockets.
Link to appearance
Heliodor shows yellow to golden colour; as a beryl its colour depends on trace chromophores and must be distinguished optically from chrysoberyl.
Sources CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 · GIA Emerald Description · G&G Summer 2025
Timescale
Crystallises from cooler, water-rich fluid late in magmatic evolution, consistent with the beryl group.
Sources G&G Summer 2025
Related base materials
- Beryl: Mineral parent: this variety belongs to the mineral species beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18)
Supporting findings
Heliodor, a gem form of beryl, is found chiefly in granitic pegmatites.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes granitic pegmatite as the main setting without excluding others.
Enrichment of residual pegmatite fluids in beryllium enables crystallisation of beryl-group crystals including heliodor.
Evidence grade AScope: Concerns the residual-fluid evolution of complex, zoned pegmatites.
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Africa
- Mwami, Karoi, Mashonaland West, Zimbabwelisted in the combined aquamarine/heliodor/morganite column of the G&G 1990s table (as Mashonaland North)
Sources Gems & Gemology Winter 2000
Europe
- Volyn pegmatite field, Khoroshiv, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 2023
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
How it is identified
Golden beryl cannot be pinned down as natural, synthetic or treated by eye. Laboratory work is required: microscopic growth features and inclusions, plus EDXRF trace-element and flux-residue data, help distinguish natural beryl from synthetic or treated material, and the result should be certified by a qualified gem laboratory.
Evidence grade AScope: Applies to the beryl group; separating natural, synthetic and treated material requires microscopic and chemical testing at a qualified gem laboratory, and is not a self-identification method.
Heliodor, the yellow beryl, may be priced on locality, with goods traded under names such as Madagascar, Brazil or Namibia. A locality name, however, is only a trade attribution and is not a determined origin. Origin work is a laboratory exercise: the deposit type is addressed first, then inclusion suites and trace-element suites (measured by methods such as laser ablation ICP-MS) are compared with reference databases for known localities to yield a conclusion of consistency or inconsistency with a source. Because the characteristic ranges of different localities overlap and vary within a single deposit, the conclusion is probabilistic and may be only inconclusive; heating, filling and diffusion alter the measurable features and must be excluded first. Origin cannot be inferred from appearance or name; an origin conclusion must be issued by a qualified laboratory for a specific specimen. This entry offers no self-test criteria or thresholds.
Evidence grade AScope: Origin cannot be inferred from appearance or name; an origin conclusion must be issued by a qualified laboratory for a specific specimen, and this entry provides no self-test criteria or thresholds.
Other research findings
The CIBJO nomenclature standard lists Heliodor and golden beryl as colour varieties of beryl.
Evidence grade AScope: Valid for nomenclature only, without colour thresholds or origin determination.
Sources CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
Heliodor belongs to the mineral species beryl (Be3Al2Si6O18), not to chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4).
Evidence grade AScope: Similar names but different species; they must not be conflated.
Sources GIA Emerald Description · G&G Summer 2025
Limits of this research
- Research status: Formation, occurrence or other material-specific findings found in authoritative sources
- The CIBJO nomenclature table is tabular, so quotes are adjacent table-cell text.
- The yellow chromophore (Fe3+) of heliodor is not directly stated in the available sources.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Golden-yellow Beryl
GB/T 16552—2017 5.1.1 c) · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.96 “Golden beryl”
Construction or treatment status
Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments recorded for this material: Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Irradiated (via parent material), Coated (via parent material)
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
"Heliodor / Golden Beryl" is a market name rather than a mineral species name; before using it, verify: Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Golden-yellow Beryl" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- This entry's exact material identity is not fully settled.
- See “Disclosure and cautions” above
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Trade-name ruling
- Industry-wide term that does not denote a single species.
- Suggested listing name
- Golden-yellow Beryl
Care and wear
Normal care for every gemstone (CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.1), in brief:
- Handle it gently.
- Store pieces apart when not worn, so they cannot scratch each other.
- Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush.
- Use ultrasonic cleaners only with caution.
The §6.1 wording and the full list of §6.2 special-care letters cited on this page are on the general gem care page.
Care
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — care (light): may fade or revert to its original colour in strong light; do not wear or leave it in strong light for extended periods.
CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022
CIBJO Gemstone Book §6.2:special-care code f
- Treatment state
- treated
- Only after these treatments
- irradiation
Source & check 2026-09-25
- Source
- CIBJO Blue Book — Official Gemstone Book (Coloured Stone Commission 2022) (CIBJO): §8 Annex C, Heliodor, p.36; §6.2 f (locator checked 2026-09-25)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-25
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — care (special care): irradiated to yellow: normal to special care (SC).
AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th ed.
- Treatment state
- treated
- Only after these treatments
- irradiation
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th edition (August 2026) (AGTA): p.VIII, Gemstone Information Chart, Beryl Yellow R, CARE REQUIRED / SPECIAL ADVICE (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Common care questions and matching entries
LightLight and display care for Heliodor / Golden Beryl: according to the CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022), treated stones, specifically irradiated Heliodor / Golden Beryl, may fade or revert to their original colour in strong light, so do not wear or leave them in strong light for long periods; according to the AGTA Gemstone Information Manual, 17th edition (August 2026), treated stones, specifically irradiated ones, where irradiation produces the yellow colour, need normal to special care (marked SC). General careGeneral care that applies to all gemstones, and the full list of special-care letter codes, are in the general care section of the materials index page.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Question | Matching entries |
|---|---|
| Light and display | may fade or revert to its original colour in strong light; do not wear or leave it in strong light for extended periods |
Treatments and identification leads
One row per treatment, with three standards side by side: how often it occurs and how stable it is (CIBJO), its category in GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (this site's paraphrase) and how the JJA/AGL 2025 table lists it. Each CIBJO value links to its entry under “Testing and market”, where the wording and source are given in full.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Treatment | Market frequency (CIBJO) | Stability (CIBJO) | GB/T 16552 category | JJA/AGL listing | Identification leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating | — | — | Optimization | — | — |
| Filling | — | — | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 | — | — |
| Irradiation | — | — | Treatment | — | — |
| Coating | — | — | Treatment | — | — |
“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (row for Beryl)
Whether a treatment has to show in the name differs between the two rule sets (this site’s paraphrase):
- GB/T 16552—2017: a method classed as treatment has to be stated in the name itself — the method put before the name, or added in brackets after it; a method classed as optimization does not need to appear in the name, though one marked “Optimization (annotation required)” still has to be noted in the quality documents. Source: §5.4.2.1 a), b); §5.4.2.2 a)
- CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022: no longer splits treatments into ones that need specific disclosure and ones that need only general disclosure: every treatment is to be disclosed, and the seller tells the buyer which treatment was used and what special care it calls for. Source: §4.2.5 Note 2, §4.2.5.1, pp.14–15
What this table covers
What this page can give
- Registered treatments, their stability and how often they occur (see the table above)
- Identification leads for each treatment, for use when sending a stone for testing
How lab reports word it
A general LMHC wording rule also covers Heliodor / Golden Beryl (Information Sheet #8): see the LMHC rule “When colour authenticity cannot be determined”.
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Besides Heliodor / Golden Beryl, the name register records "Golden beryl" and "Yellow Beryl", for which no restriction on use as a name is recorded (CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 Annex 8 “yellow Beryl”).
Names in four languagesThe Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English and Japanese names of Heliodor / Golden Beryl are all registered, the English being Heliodor / Golden Beryl and the Japanese a katakana transliteration; Japan's GSJ wording for this name is not yet verified by this site, and the Japanese form is the entry's own Japanese name. Standard and listing namesIn the national-standard naming correspondence the name itself is not listed in the original, and it maps only to the basic name beryl in GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1. The suggested listing name is golden-yellow beryl. Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name is Yellow beryl, and the trade name/synonym is Golden beryl; Golden beryl and Yellow Beryl are both registered as English synonyms with no restriction recorded on their use as names, Golden beryl resting on a ruling by this site (no clause attached) and Yellow Beryl on yellow Beryl in Annex 8 of the CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022. Institution usageOn authority wording, the wording of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A for this name is not yet verified by this site; what is shown is the entry's own English name, not wording given by those bodies.
Name register
Every name recorded for this entry, with how it is classified, whether it may be matched to this entry automatically, whether it may be used as a product name, and the clause it rests on.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Name | Type | Matching | Use as a name | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no restriction recorded (2) | ||||
| Golden berylEnglish | synonym | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | editorial ruling (no clause cited) |
| Yellow BerylEnglish | synonym | matched automatically | no restriction recorded | CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022 Annex 8 “yellow Beryl” |
How each authority words this name: see Names › Authority wording.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- ヘリオドール／ゴールデンベリル (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- GB/T naming counterpart (this name is not in the standard)
- 绿柱石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
- Mineralogical name
- Yellow beryl
- Trade names and synonyms
- Golden beryl (synonym) · Yellow Beryl (synonym)
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 金绿柱石
- 繁體中文
- 金綠柱石
- English
- Heliodor / Golden Beryl
- 日本語
- ヘリオドール／ゴールデンベリル
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Beryl minerals and gem varieties
- Identity tier
- Mineral / gemstone variety
- Mineral chemical class
- Silicates
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural identity; treatment status unknown
Treatments listed by standards
GB/T Table B.1For the optimization and treatment categories listed in the standard, this site applies the “Beryl” row of GB/T 16552—2017 Annex B, Table B.1 to Heliodor / Golden Beryl: heating is listed as optimization, filling is defined by grade, irradiation is listed as treatment, and coating is listed as treatment. The full content, with the effect column, is on the Beryl entry. See alsoThe notes to Table B.1 and the definition of each grade are on this site's Gem treatments page.
GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1
Under the “Beryl” row of Table B.1: Heating Optimization; Filling Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1; Irradiation Treatment; Coating Treatment. The full row, with the effect column, is on the Beryl page.
What Table B.1 is, and how the “see 5.4.1” grades are defined: see the GB/T 16552: optimization vs treatment page.
What it is and how it's identified
The composition (phase) of Heliodor / Golden Beryl is beryl; structure, hardness, density, optical properties and several other values are cited clause data registered for beryl (the whole mineral species), not measured on Heliodor / Golden Beryl alone. Registered for beryl (the whole mineral species): overall structure crystalline, hexagonal, with a hexagonal prismatic habit, occasionally hexagonal tabular, the crystal faces often showing longitudinal striations; Mohs hardness 7.5–8, cleavage one direction, imperfect; density 2.67–2.9 g/cm³, derived from the cited clause value 2.72 and its permitted tolerance of +0.18/−0.05; optical character anisotropic, uniaxial, negative; refractive index 1.56–1.6, derived from the cited clause value 1.577–1.583 and its permitted tolerance of ±0.017; birefringence 0.005–0.009; untreated, the lustre registered for beryl (the whole mineral species) is vitreous. Whole-class features such as chemical composition, luminescence, UV-visible spectrum, infrared spectrum and magnification are written in the cited clause for beryl (the whole mineral species); see the Beryl entry.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Chemical composition, luminescence, UV-visible spectrum, infrared spectrum, magnification: these whole-class features are given in the cited clause for beryl (the whole mineral species), so they are not repeated on the Heliodor / Golden Beryl page; see the material facts on the Beryl entry.
Items below that name the class they cover give the cited clause’s value for that whole class, not a measurement of Heliodor / Golden Beryl (how to read class-level values).
Definition
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — composition (phase): beryl
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Structure
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — structure (overall): crystalline
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — structure (crystal system): hexagonal
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — structure (crystal habit): typically six-sided prisms, now and then flat hexagonal plates; prism faces usually striated lengthwise.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Durability
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — Mohs hardness: 7.5–8
GB/T 16553—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — cleavage: imperfect in one direction
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Physical properties
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — density: 2.67–2.9 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 2.72, with a stated tolerance of +0.18 / -0.05. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Optical
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — optic character: uniaxial, optically negative (anisotropic)
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — refractive index: 1.56–1.6
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.577–1.583, with a stated tolerance of ±0.017. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — birefringence: 0.005–0.009
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-21
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-21)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-21
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — pleochroism: weak; greenish yellow, yellow; or yellow of different tones.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 Pleochroism · Yellow (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — pleochroism: weak to moderate, and varying with color: yellow is weak, showing green-yellow and yellow, or different tones of yellow; green is weak to moderate, showing blue-green and green, or different tones of green; pink-red is weak to moderate, showing light red and purple-red.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — fluorescence (overall): yellow, green: generally none.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 Fluorescence (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — optical effect (chatoyancy): seen
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — optical effect (asterism): seen; rare
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — body colour: Golden.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Pyrite, Chrysoprase, Demantoid and other entries also name yellow or a yellowish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
- CIBJO definitions
- chatoyancy, asterism
Quality factors
Heliodor / Golden Beryl — quality factor (lustre): vitreous
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- beryl (the whole mineral species)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.9 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.58 / 2.79; Closest values: 1Qingtian Stone 1.565 / 2.77, 2Natural Conch Pearl / Natural Melo Pearl 1.595 / 2.84, 3Calcite 1.572 / 2.7, 4Brucite 1.57 / 2.89, 5Synthetic Emerald 1.565 / 2.69
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Testing and market
The CIBJO laboratory protocol covers Heliodor / Golden Beryl under “Beryl” (§6.1.12): see identification on the Beryl entry; the required tests are listed on the CIBJO laboratory protocol table for Beryl.
How far testing can go
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
In the gem material list of CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024, Heliodor / Golden Beryl has clause-level definitions under both Golden beryl and Heliodor. Golden beryl is defined as being used as a synonym of heliodor; the cross-check shows it is defined directly by CIBJO, and no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. Heliodor is defined as the yellow variety of beryl, ranging from greenish yellow to orangish yellow or yellowish brown; the cross-check shows it is defined directly by CIBJO, and no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden beryl | 7.2.1.96 | Golden beryl is used as a synonym of heliodor | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
| Heliodor | 7.2.1.104 | Yellow (greenish yellow to orangish yellow or yellowish brown) variety of beryl | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
Related-entry tree for Beryl on this site: 11 entries listed by this site's parent-entry links; synthetic, treated and similar entries carry their recorded state after the name; this page (Heliodor / Golden Beryl) is marked.
- Beryl
Sub-entries (9)
- Aquamarine
- Colombian Emerald
- Emerald
Sub-entries (1)
- Synthetic Emerald (Synthetic product)
- Goshenite
- Heliodor / Golden Beryl
- Maxixe Beryl
- Morganite
- Red Beryl
- Zambian Emerald
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Beryl minerals and gem varieties | Live |
| Treatments recorded for this material | Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Irradiated (via parent material), Coated (via parent material) | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Heliodor / Golden Beryl entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.