GEM TALK ON AQUAMARINE - BIRTHSTONE FOR MARCH

When shopping for aquamarines, always consider a combination of colour, clarity & cut.

  • COLOR – Aquamarines range from pale blue or greenish blue to strong green-blues or deep blues. Generally speaking the bluer hues are considered more valuable, but as aquamarine is most famous for its turquoise colour, this is what most consumers seek & are abundant.  Do remember aquamarines that are of a deep blue but sold at a cheaper price tend to be heat treated so do check this with your jeweler. Heat treated stones are usually cheaper than the natural ones.
  • CLARITY – Most aquamarines sold as jewellery are eye-clean. Some can contain liquid inclusions that look like tiny bubbles, but these are usually not detectable without a jeweller’s loupe. Cloudy aquamarine is not accepted in jewellery – there is an expectation of purity and sparkling transparency.
  • CUT – Aquamarines can be cut into various shapes, though emerald cuts are favoured as they bring out the gem’s natural colour and sparkle. Round, oval cuts are also popular, and you can find pear, heart  or designer shapes too. The gem’s transparency and availability in large sizes have made it a favourite amongst gemstone artists and sculptors who use it to fashion ornaments and statues.
  • SIZE/CARAT – High quality aquamarine is more expensive than blue topaz, but not as dear as emeralds. Sizes vary from tiny to enormous and some of the biggest examples weigh up to 45 kilograms. Very large stones are hard to use in jewellery, so aquamarine prices can actually decrease from 25 carats onwards.

Aquamarine rank 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale & is quite a hard gemstone.

  • Store each piece of aquamarine jewelry separately in a soft cloth & away from other jewellery in order to avoid them from getting scratched
  • They are best cleaned with lukewarm water with mild soap or detergent. Just light brush it with a soft toothbrush, rinse and wipe. I recommend doing this at the table as your jewelry can slip from your hands over the sink.
  • You should protect your Aquamarine from knocks
  • Aquamarines may be cleaned in ultrasonic or steam cleaners but its best to check with your jeweler as if they are heat treated or fracture filled then it is not recommended.