Aquamarine

[Phoenix]

....what do I look for in a good quality stone?

After seeing alll these gorgeous coloured gemstone pieces on PS, I am *motivated* (he he

) to get one too. I saw this really beautiful and sparkling very pale blue aquamarine stone set in a thin diamond halo at a local shop (for Singaporeans and those who live/ have lived in S'pore, it's Lucky Plaza). Now, I am a COMPLETE NOVICE as far as semi-precious stones go. The mall that the shop is in is not an upscale shopping mall (far from it) but it does sell some pretty good value-for-money stuff. A friend of mine bought an exact same digital camera as ours and paid abt US$200 less for it (I wasn't sure when she bought it but it's turned out perfectly fine). I have bought some gold jewellery from this place, actually from the same exact shop, and so far so good. The mall does, however, carries some cheap as well as cheap and dubious looking stuff. I've wondered if some tourists (obviously not all) get ripped off there?

Now, my question is how do I tell if this aquamarine is real and not some other stone or worse some synthetic stuff. I think they'll let it go for abt USD800 (this price includes the stone - which is abt 5 carat, oval shaped, 18ct WG setting and a thin diamond halo). It's absolutely sparkling and really amazing looking on my finger, but I am concerned I might get ripped off.

Thank you.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

I can't think of a way that a layperson could be absolutely sure of an aquamarine's authenticity without the guarantee of a vendor they trust or the analysis of a knowledgeable appraiser.

There are just too many synthetic stones, glass stones and similar looking natural stones that can mimic aquamarine to the untrained eye.

If you love it, just buy it and have it checked out. If it's not genuine, there's not an honest shop in the world that wouldn't take it back.

 

[widget]

Lien...

I just wanted to jump in here and congratulate you for dipping into the world of colored gemstones! (I almost mentioned in your other thread that they were sadly missing from your wonderful jewelry collection, but then thought that might not sound too nice.

)

Is aqua your birthstone?

Good luck on your quest!
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[Harriet]

Lucky Plaza?!!!!!!!! Aiyoh.

Richard,
That is a seriously sketchy mall.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Date: 5/12/2007 11:18:32 PM
Author: Harriet
Lucky Plaza?!!!!!!!! Aiyoh.

Richard,
That is a seriously sketchy mall.

Define "sketchy".

 

[Harriet]

Goods of dubious origin, vendors of dubious integrity, sells everything under one roof (including, um, physical services) ... These are sweeping statements, but I know the place pretty well (it's in the centre of town and caters principally to tourists).

 

[Harriet]

Date: 5/12/2007 10:48:37 PM
Author: Richard Sherwood
I can''t think of a way that a layperson could be absolutely sure of an aquamarine''s authenticity without the guarantee of a vendor they trust or the analysis of a knowledgeable appraiser.

There are just too many synthetic stones, glass stones and similar looking natural stones that can mimic aquamarine to the untrained eye.

If you love it, just buy it and have it checked out. If it''s not genuine, there''s not an honest shop in the world that wouldn''t take it back.

Is that true of all, or only some, gems?

 

[Phoenix]

Aaahhh!! Widget, you''re so wonderful and sweet, as usual!

. May I say that you''re one of my favourite people on PS.

Aquamarine is not my birth stone

. I think topaz is, I''m not sure, but am not so keen on how it looks on my Asian skin (though I don''t seem to have a problem with intense yellow diamonds, funny that! LOL). I just really like how aquamarine looks on my finger

.

I think I need to do a bit more searching. Thanks for yr good wishes.

 

[Phoenix]

Thanks, Richard, for your insightful comment. I think I will go and ask a local gemologist some time next week to see if he can help.

 

[Phoenix]

Harriet, really? I take it that that''s a NO on yr part (?!). I really really like this one [pout!!]

Can you recommend some place where I can get a nice aquamarine stone? Isn''t that your FI''s birthstone?

 

[Harriet]

Date: 5/13/2007 10:14:44 AM
Author: lienTN
Harriet, really? I take it that that''s a NO on yr part (?!). I really really like this one [pout!!]

Can you recommend some place where I can get a nice aquamarine stone? Isn''t that your FI''s birthstone?

I think so, unless you get it appraised.
It is my FI''s birthstone (guess mine!). You can try Richard M., Bob of WF, and Wink.

 

[Linda W]

Lien,

Be sure to post your Aquamarine if you do get one. BTW, I love your wedding ring and your gorgeous wedding pictures.

Linda

 

[Phoenix]

I went to two other stores today. At the first one, saw some beatiful loose aquamarines. One in particular caught my eye. It's a 7ct pear, darker blue than the one at Lucky Plaza, and the cost is a little over SD5,000 (abt USD3,500) or is it SD7,000 (? I can't remember). Another one, slightly lighter blue with a tiny tinge of green, in trillion shape, is abt Sd3,000 (USD2,000) and is a little over 3 carat. If i choose either one of these, the setting in WG with a halo at this shop would easily set me back another SD1,200 (abt US800) or so.

It makes me wonder how the shop at Lucky Plaza can offer me an aquamarine for SD1,200 (USD800 approx)? I know it is much much lighter, but can there be so much of a price discrepancy (particularly as this price includes the setting, complete with mele diamond halo)? Can the origin of the stone account for this (the one at the shop today is from India, not sure abt the one from LP)? The cut of the one at LP is not as good but still plenty blingy. Oh, and I did bargain the h..l with this shop. They started at SD2,500!

At the second shop, I saw an amazing blue Topaz, abt 7 ct also (I think?) quite deep blue and the cut was so out this world!! It sparkles like crazy! I was told it was from South Africa and was cut by laser (I am not sure how cutting by laser makes any difference), hence the "superior quality", according to the SA. The ring has a diamond halo around the pear-shaped stone and is set in WG (this would satisfy my lust for halos....at least for a while anyway

). Oh and it costs SD2,000 (USD 1,300).

What to ya'all think? Which one should I go for (assuming I can afford anyone of those, or more accurately assuming I can "persuade" hubby to let me spend this money, he he

)? I don't however want to get ripped off and overpay.

Thank you.

This would be my first foray into coloured gemstones..and my first cocktail ring..and I am really excited, YAY!!

.

 

[Harriet]

Lien,
I''m sorry I can''t help you, being a novice myself. Ask Richard M. He''s my coloured stone mentor.

 

[widget]

Hi, Lien...

I hesitated responding to your last question because to do so is admitting that my value system is somewhat shallow!

I've never cared for blue topaz because it is so plentiful and so inexpensive.

Also, it's my understanding that it's "blueness" is totally the result of treatment (radiation?) and the original material looks nothing like the finished product. So for these perhaps illogical reasons, I'd personally always go for aquamarine.

But I do know that topaz can be very beautiful, and is certainly more affordable. Perfect for a righthand ring if you don't suffer from silly hangups like mine.

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[Harriet]

Widget,
I have the same bias against blue topaz. Btw, i''m glad I''m not the only "dense" one when it comes to split crowns.

 

[riogems]

The depth of color can make a huge difference in the price of an aquamarine. A darker more intense color will be multiples more expensive than a pale stone. I''m not sure how to post multiple pictures in one post, so I made a medley into one picture.

The stone on the left is exceptional color. The stone in the middle is still an excellent color. The stone on the right (sorry the pic is so small) is a cheap aquamarine.

Also, I would be hesitant about buying an expensive blue topaz stone because most likely it was irradiated -- not that irradiation is dangerous, but the stone is very cheap. I think any retailer would be happy to sell an irradiated blue topaz stone for $5-$15/carat (laser cut or not).

 

[Harriet]

Adam,
Wow! I didn''t realise an aqua could look like that. Btw, I can''t find it on your website.

 

[Linda W]

OH my, that aqua is beautiful. I never saw an aqua that color before.

Linda

 

[riogems]

This aqua has sold (I never put it on my website though). Before I never thought there was an interest for expensive gems on the web. Maybe I''m wrong.

It is a pretty unique color. It is also unheated -- there are some mines where you don''t need to heat the stones to remove the green color. I can''t remember which specific mine that came from (it was in Brazil).

Sometimes I get stones I don''t want to sell, because I like looking at them so much. That was one of them.

 

[Harriet]

It''s beautiful. Btw, what''s the stone in you avatar?

 

[riogems]

That is a ceylon sapphire (heated).

 

[Harriet]

It''s pretty. What''s a cornflower sapphire?

 

[pinkdreamer]

I had no idea aquamarines could be so blue!! It''s gorgeous!

 

[chrono]

Cornflower is a blue flowered plant. Let me go dig up a few pictures. Some sapphires are sometimes referred to as cornflower blue in reference to the same shade of blue.

Here's an old thread that talks about cornflower blue sapphires:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/cornflower-blue.12625/

Another cornflower:

Comparing the two:

 

[Harriet]

Lovely. Thanks, Chrono!

 

[Nicrez]

Lien,

I hate to admit it, but to an untrained and unprepared gemstone buyer, there is little you can do to determine real or fake at the shop. Even after learning all the gemstone tricks, I can get fooled, unless I have a refractometer in my pcoket! The easiest way to determine anything is testing, and usually unset is easier. That said, what CAN help is getting two books that i recommended to Harriet, as I have to say they are the best so far and easiest to understand...

I''ll try and post them again later... Good luck and I would prefer a well colored Aquamarine as well, over a blue topaz. I first started buying gems before learning about them, and I though I was a champ for buying the blue topaz so cheap, but they are cheap. What I like better is the Quartz family, and the smoky topazes are lovely in large sizes... Good luck!!!

 

[widget]

Nicrez...(or any other pro out there):

Every aqua I''ve ever seen tends to "blank out"a bit, or go colorless when tilted and viewed from certain angles.

Would this be an indication that the aqua might be genuine, or do sims, glass, etc. do this too?

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[Phoenix]

Oh, Widget, as I''ve said before, you''re one of my favourite PS''ers!

. I LOVE that you say how you really feel and that is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Sometimes, I think as has been raised in a post by another PS''er fairly recently, that PS''ers are sometimes tip-toeing around (maybe I''m wrong and pls correct me if I am) for fear of offending the other person(s). Most of the time, I love that and I particularly love that PS''ers are there for one another. But it is also nice to hear honest and truthful opinions, that help me and perhaps others from making mistakes. And NO, yr value system is not shallow AT ALL, far from it!

nor do you have any hang-ups!

, sincerely.

I must say I, rather naively I guess, did not know that topaz is treated. I also didn''t know until very recently that topaz came in colours other than just yellow.

.

Anyway, thanks again, Widget. I really appreciate your feedback and very helpful infor.

 

[Harriet]

Lien,
What type of cut are you looking for in an aqua or a topaz?