Aquamarine Briolette?

[PaulaW]

I''m hoping you guys can help me out! I''m thinking of picking up an aquamarine briolette pendant and a local jeweler has aquired one for me to look at. It''s a 1.9 carat with a white gold setting and he''s asking $350. Do any of you know about pricing for something like this? I don''t really have much information on it so any questions you think I should ask him would be helpful also.
Thanks so much in advance!

 

[MJO]

It all depends on the depth of color and clarity of the aquamarine but I think that is alot for a basic pendent. Unless it has some intricate work with diamond settings.

 

[valeria101]

Go to a bead store (or at least search online)... they should have aqua briolettes by the strand - if yours looks like that you know what you are getting.

Large clean aquamarine is common so two carats is very small for the material: fine cut and setting might make it more expensive than a couple od $ though. However, the total cost makes me thing the piece was presented to you as a bargain. And that may or may not be the case, as usual.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I am not sure how helpful my post will be--but in Jan. I had some earrings custom made--garnet briolettes--close to two carats each set in 14k y/g. The earrings cost me $280 Can. For reference, you can see them in a post dated 2/18/05, initiated by JanuaryJem (about garnet rings).

cheers--Sharon

 

[widget]

FYI: I found this pendant on the net: 23.16ct aqua. $810.00 Including the mounting, this works out to be $34.97 per carat.

The pendant you''re considering, including whatever mounting, chain, etc. (which must be considered) comes to $184.00 per carat...

widget

 

[valeria101]

Btw... this is white gold, and the aqua there is a small component of the price.
It is clean and small and not too special although the setting makes great use of it.

Here's why I mentioned "bead shop".

For $300 you may get about 100cts of similar aqua briolettes HERE .

Whatever makes up the price, is not the aqua.


Assuming the setting is simple, how about a larger sapphire drop ? Like these ones:

(2.5cts blue, not top sapphire, but surely as blue as aqua ever gets)
and

(4 carat peach). The pictures are not to scale, the peach piece is larger, of course.

Just a thought...

 

[Michael_E]

Paula,
One thing to remember on aquamarine is that color is everything when it comes to price. The paler aqua''s are very inexpensive per carat as widget has shown. The deeper colors of pure blue can be extremely expensive as they are very rare and hard to obtain. Most cutters won''t cut top quality stones for briolettes, so if the color of the stone that you are looking at is good, then you may be getting a bargain. It all depends on color. Here''s an E-bay link to what would be considered a deep colored aqua of top quality:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10200&item=4993789788&rd=1
I don''t have any knowledge of this seller, just thought the pictures were good.

 

[PaulaW]

Wow! Thank you all so much for all of the comments and advice. I really have no idea what to look for, I just wanted something different and love the ocean blues in aquamarines. I have a few topaz pieces and didn''t want to go that route.
I''ll find out more info and update you. Thanks again!

 

[Sagebrush]

Aqua is blue beryl and emerald is green beryl but if you think fine emerald is rarer than fine aquamarine you would be wrong. Aqua can be a good deal bluer than the stones pictured. However, as it gets darker in tone it tends to develop a gray mask.

As to rarity I have spent weeks at a time buying in Brazil and been offered several fine emeralds and not been able to fine a single fine aquamarine.

I have one two carat cushion and if I ever get it photographed I will post it.

regards, and good luck!

 

[Sagebrush]

Ok, here is the fine color in Aqua from Secrets Of The Gem Trade of course

 

[PaulaW]

Thank you so much for posting that Richard, it is gorgeous! I have an appointment with them tomorrow, so I''ll keep you all updated!

 

[lonewoodminer]

Hi all
A picture of 1 kg of very good Aquamarine we just purchased .
It is a collection of santa maria type that has been kept by the miner for a number of years, we just hope the colours are good when it arrives!

Cheers Andrew Lane
www.aussiesapphire.com.au

 

[movie zombie]

makes me want to dive right into that blue!

peace, movie zombie

 

[belle]

oh my

those santa maria aquamarines look absolutely delicious!!

 

[valeria101]

Does anyone get the newsletter of "toshelfminerals" ? Every now and then they come up with crazy stuf: this one just came into my mailbox. Very blue aquamarine... all 4 inches of it!

 

[belle]

wow! that is quite the specimen!

 

[Kaleigh]

That picture of the Santa Maria stones is awesome!!!

 

[MINE!!]

Date: 5/17/2005 3:41:34 AM
Author: lonewoodminer
Hi all
A picture of 1 kg of very good Aquamarine we just purchased .
It is a collection of santa maria type that has been kept by the miner for a number of years, we just hope the colours are good when it arrives!

Cheers Andrew Lane
www.aussiesapphire.com.au

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