Aquamarines

[Bluegemz]

I love aquamarines of all kinds from the clear, blue Emerald cut aquamarine cocktail rings to the unheated, blue green milky aquamarines that look like water. They are all just so beautiful! I Thought it would be fun to start a new thread for aquamarine jewelry. I'm looking for a nice aqua ring at some point, but find it VERY hard to narrow down any kind of choice since there is such variation. Please show aquamarines if you have them!
I'll start with my favorite aqua necklace and earring set. The pendant and earrings are in 22k. The earrings are"raw" and the pendant is carved from the underside, so that it's a smooth, round surface in front.

 

[Bluegemz]

And, out the of curiosity, does anyone have any deep blue aquamarine or even Maxixe beryl? Has the maxixe faded at all?

 

[T L]

You have to be careful if irradiated aquas, as they do fade. I bought an inexpensive, yet dark aqua many years ago, and now it's almost like a goshenite. Always buy from a reputable vendor if you're spending quite a bit on a darker toned aqua.

Aqua is my birthstone, so I have a few pieces, and my first ever ring was an aqua, when I was 12. I took the stone out of the setting as it was very chipped.

My favorite beryl piece is a vanadium beryl that I bought from a precision lapidary. It's a minty green which some would call "sea foam" and some aquas are a similar color although the blue color is caused by iron. Pic below.

I also have a darker toned Nigerian aqua that I bought around 22 years ago. It's around 8 carats. Pic below.

I also have a retro aqua ring of 14 carats. There's two pics of it towards the bottom of this page.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/colored-stone-e-rings-eyecandy.29435/page-89

 

[Bluegemz]

You have to be careful if irradiated aquas, as they do fade. I bought an inexpensive, yet dark aqua many years ago, and now it's almost like a goshenite. Always buy from a reputable vendor if you're spending quite a bit on a darker toned aqua.

Aqua is my birthstone, so I have a few pieces, and my first ever ring was an aqua, when I was 12. I took the stone out of the setting as it was very chipped.

My favorite beryl piece is a vanadium beryl that I bought from a precision lapidary. It's a minty green which some would call "sea foam" and some aquas are a similar color although the blue color is caused by iron. Pic below.

I also have a darker toned Nigerian aqua that I bought around 22 years ago. It's around 8 carats. Pic below.

I also have a retro aqua ring of 14 carats. There's two pics of it towards the bottom of this page.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/colored-stone-e-rings-eyecandy.29435/page-89

Those are ALL just stunning! I love all of them. Thanks for the advice about irradiation. I recently saw some darker aquas that seemed way too inexpensive on eBay advertised as Maxixe beryl.

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Oh, so much to learn! Thanks.

 

[Arkteia]

You have to be careful if irradiated aquas, as they do fade. I bought an inexpensive, yet dark aqua many years ago, and now it's almost like a goshenite. Always buy from a reputable vendor if you're spending quite a bit on a darker toned aqua.

Aqua is my birthstone, so I have a few pieces, and my first ever ring was an aqua, when I was 12. I took the stone out of the setting as it was very chipped.

My favorite beryl piece is a vanadium beryl that I bought from a precision lapidary. It's a minty green which some would call "sea foam" and some aquas are a similar color although the blue color is caused by iron. Pic below.

I also have a darker toned Nigerian aqua that I bought around 22 years ago. It's around 8 carats. Pic below.

I also have a retro aqua ring of 14 carats. There's two pics of it towards the bottom of this page.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/colored-stone-e-rings-eyecandy.29435/page-89

TL, thank you, you basically answered my question. Awesome stones!

I was planning to start a thread with the question about aquas - are they irradiated now?

I am, very lazily, looking for an aqua for a ring. And on sites, I saw many stones from Mozambique with the colour so intense that I actually had to ask myself the question about irradiation. I can not say they are cheap, though, but in the "affordable" range. (Another factor that made me think of possible irradiation was stated lack of any treatment, even heat. This is unusual, as aquas are traditionally heated, so dark-blue untreated stones make one wonder).

My question is, do you, or any other PS-er, perhaps, know - are from what locality are more apt to be irradiated? Are we to be more aware in case of Mozambique, Afghanistan, or are Brazilian stones of a concern as well?

 

[T L]

I don't know if origin is a good indicator of what stones are not irradiated. Stones from South America, Western Asia, and Africa are irradiated, like kunzite and morganite, so I would assume aqua would be as well. I would just caution people to buy from a reputable dealer who has a trusted source, and if the price is too good to be true, then it probably is. It should also be noted that synthetic spinel is a common simulant for aqua, so buyer beware. It is darker toned grayish blue, much like some true aqua,

Here is a reputable seller. This page shows the many variations of aqua tone and hue.

https://www.johndyergems.com/catalog_pages/gemstone-stone-Aquamarine.html

 

[Arkteia]

I love John Dyer's work, thank you! Off-aqua topic, but his spinel butterfly wing is such a beauty!
(But as always, the stones one likes most are already sold, lol).

 

[Bluegemz]

TL, Wow, what a great range of colors and interesting cuts. Thanks for the link. Vanadium beryl is very interesting to me and I hadn't heard of it. I'm going to try to find some.

 

[T L]

TL, Wow, what a great range of colors and interesting cuts. Thanks for the link. Vanadium beryl is very interesting to me and I hadn't heard of it. I'm going to try to find some.

Vanadium beryl, or what is commonly known as green beryl should not be confused with emerald. Most emerald, which is also a beryl, is colored by chromium. Some Zambian emerald has vanadium in it, but the green is very deep in color. Vanadium beryl is more like a pale green hue.

Speaking of aquas again, the most common simulant is blue topaz, although it is a natural gem, and often sold as what it is, some dealers pass it off as aqua. when I purchased my Nigerian aqua decades ago, it was so deep in tone, I was worried it wad blue topaz. I had a
Gemologist verify, with a wide variety of instruments, that it was indeed an aqua. Blue topaz was very popular as an aqua substitute back then.

 

[T L]

I love John Dyer's work, thank you! Off-aqua topic, but his spinel butterfly wing is such a beauty!
(But as always, the stones one likes most are already sold, lol).

Yes, beautiful lapidary work!!

 

[Bluegemz]

I've heard of green beryl but I didn't know it's vanadium beryl! Thanks for all this, some of the information pieces are coming together! Well I LOVE the vanadium beryl in your ring. I'd love to find one like that. I really like the slight green in aqua, or green beyrl. Also adore the deep blues.

 

[Arkteia]

Vanadium beryl, or what is commonly known as green beryl should not be confused with emerald. Most emerald, which is also a beryl, is colored by chromium. Some Zambian emerald has vanadium in it, but the green is very deep in color. Vanadium beryl is more like a pale green hue.

Speaking of aquas again, the most common simulant is blue topaz, although it is a natural gem, and often sold as what it is, some dealers pass it off as aqua. when I purchased my Nigerian aqua decades ago, it was so deep in tone, I was worried it wad blue topaz. I had a
Gemologist verify, with a wide variety of instruments, that it was indeed an aqua. Blue topaz was very popular as an aqua substitute back then.

I should - finally - show my vintage/antique earrings to a gemologist. They were sold as topaz ones but I heard from some people that they look like aquas. I bought them for the setting, so either way is fine with me. If the stones are indeed topazes then I shall post them as an example of topazes resembling aquas.

(BTW - I love topazes, more than aquas, they are durable and look gorgeous with the right cut, but very seldom do they come unheated and untreated).

 

[Bluegemz]

Oh, I'd love to see them! I've always loved topaz and feel sometimes it's underrated because of the amount of treated topaz on the market, pink and blue. . But it's beautiful and durable as you say. I only have a Brazilian pink/purple/peach one, but would love to buy a natural blue one at some point.

 

[arkieb1]

Jeff White Aqua in Victor Canera setting;

 

[Bluegemz]

Jeff White Aqua in Victor Canera setting;

Oh my, that ring is amazingly beautiful. What a brilliant aquamarine. The color is so saturated! I've never purchased from Jeff White, but am in deep admiration of his stones, especially his aquas.what an inspiration! Thank you for showing it.

 

[chatoyancy]

Jeff White Aqua in Victor Canera setting;

Wow! I love the color. Your ring is beautiful.

 

[chatoyancy]

This is a 1.6 carat I purchased at a local gem show in March.

 

[bright ice]

I recently purchased this one off LT. It's a 4.67ct Aquamarine from Mozambique, cut by Jeff White. It has a medium light to medium tone, no grey or green in any lighting. It maintains its color very well in all lighting conditions.

 

[Bluegemz]

This is a 1.6 carat I purchased at a local gem show in March.

Sigh.., that is simply beautiful. I love the color and depth, and the shape! What are your plans for it? I imagine a great pendant, ring, or a part of a mismatched earring set, i.e., having another color drop on the other side.

I recently purchased this one off LT. It's a 4.67ct Aquamarine from Mozambique, cut by Jeff White. It has a medium light to medium tone, no grey or green in any lighting. It maintains its color very well in all lighting conditions.

Your aqua is stunning! I am very impressed by the plump shape and cut/color. What are your plans for it? This is so exciting!

 

[chatoyancy]

Thank you

Sigh.., that is simply beautiful. I love the color and depth, and the shape! What are your plans for it? I imagine a great pendant, ring, or a part of a mismatched earring set, i.e., having another color drop on the other side.

Your aqua is stunning! I am very impressed by the plump shape and cut/color. What are your plans for it? This is so exciting!

Bluegemz! I fell in love with the color. I am going to have it set as a ring. I'm thinking of setting it in platinum with diamonds surrounding the aqua. I know it will be expensive, so I think I'll have my husband set this one.

 

[Bluegemz]

Thank you

Bluegemz! I fell in love with the color. I am going to have it set as a ring. I'm thinking of setting it in platinum with diamonds surrounding the aqua. I know it will be expensive, so I think I'll have my husband set this one.

Ah, I think a ring would be dramatic and beautiful, especially with surrounding diamonds! This is really exciting. I haven't seen ANY drop shaped aqua rings. It's going to be very special indeed.

 

[T L]

I was at the gem show today and this very natural looking aqua, at least to my eyes, was labeled "synthetic aqua." Therefore, again, I cannot stress how important it is nowadays to purchase aquas from reputable sellers.

 

[Bluegemz]

I was at the gem show today and this very natural looking aqua, at least to my eyes, was labeled "synthetic aqua." Therefore, again, I cannot stress how important it is nowadays to purchase aquas from reputable sellers.

Wow, that's truly amazing. Thank you for the heads up. I didn't know that synthetic beryl is grown, but now I will be extra careful with my search.

 

[T L]

Wow, that's truly amazing. Thank you for the heads up. I didn't know that synthetic beryl is grown, but now I will be extra careful with my search.

You're welcome. There's synthetic emerald and bixbite, that I knew of, so it isn't a shock that there's synthetic aqua. I just never saw it before.

 

[Bluegemz]

Your right, now I remember the synthetic emeralds! They always looked too clear and too green to be natural. Hence, I'm surprised by the natural look of that aqua. Didn't know about the Bixbite. Maybe that explains some of the cheaper specimens I've seen on eBay. Some say that they are color enhanced. Maybe they are synthetic.
As a side note, I'm inspired by this beautiful take on a classic ring. love the simplicity and modernity!

 

[Seaglow]

Nice pieces and colors, everyone!

I don't really have any Aqua jewelry.....except for a briolette pendant. I have a few roughs and unset stones of varying qualities.

The crystals are clean green blue Vietnamese that could probably yield clean 5-8 carats of faceted stones...cabs are Brazilian. The carved ones I bought long time ago....I don't know the origin.

 

[Bluegemz]

Nice pieces and colors, everyone!

I don't really have any Aqua jewelry.....except for a briolette pendant. I have a few roughs and unset stones of varying qualities.

The crystals are clean green blue Vietnamese that could probably yield clean 5-8 carats of faceted stones...cabs are Brazilian. The carved ones I bought long time ago....I don't know the origin.

Wow, those are amazing! Love seeing the different types together. Those raw crystals are just gorgeous! I can imagine them lightly polished and edges cleaned up for long earrings or pendants with a few demantoids or diamonds in the caps...or high karat gold. The carved oval would make a lovely, watery ring.

 

[minousbijoux]

Love your carved aquas, Seaglow!

 

[chrono]

The aqua crystals!