Looking for a good aquamarine...

[Jereni]

Hi all,

I've been browsing some of the usual PS vendors and not having much luck here. I thought I would toss my hunt over the fence, so to speak, and see if anyone else knows of any.

I'm looking for a really nice blue-green aquamarine, princess cut specifically. I'd like it to be eye-clean, precision cut if possible, and at least 7mm in size.... has anyone run across a stone like this lately? Or have a vendor to recommend?

So far I've found this one at Prima Gems, but I'm not at all sure about the cut from their provided photo.



Any help is appreciated!!!

 

[ChrisA222]

I would reccomend speaking with Jeff Davies on eBay. His store name is Jeffdvs101. He has sold some nice Aquas from Madagascar, which seem to have some pretty nice color.

I was also lucky enough to buy one from Gene at Precision-Gem. I don't know if Gene will cut anything as a request, but it wouldn't hurt to check with him and see if he will be cutting any into a Princess shape.

Good luck on your search!!

 

[Jereni]

Thanks Chris, I'll get in touch with Jeff. I think I've browsed his listings before, but not lately so I'll have to check.

I'd love to get one from Gene, haha. He provided me with the lovely garnet in my avatar, and I'd been trying to wait a good while before asking again, and just trying my luck at his weekly postings like everyone else

Still open for suggestions if anyone else has any!

 

[Lula]

You might try Peter Torraca. http://www.torraca.net/gems.php?search=recent&for=recent I bought a beautiful unheated Nigerian blue-green aquamarine from him earlier this year that was cut in a modified princess style. His photos are not always the greatest, but he's a nice guy, and a great precision cutter. He may have access to some rough that meets your size/cut/color requirements.

Here's a crummy photo of my stone (This was taken outside in diffused sunlight in the winter so my hands are red and cold and dry -- sorry!).

ETA: Check out the photos on Peter's Flickr stream (linked on his site). There are a lot more photos, and some better quality photos, too.

 

[Starzin]

Do you have a ballpark budget?

 

[chrono]

Your best bet is to contact the lapidaries because most aquamarines are not cut this way due to the natural shape of the rough which favours elongated shapes, plus cutting pointy corners requires nerves of steel in order not to accidentally chip the tips (aquas tend to chip more easily than other gemstones).

 

[Jereni]

Thanks Lula, I'll ask Peter. That stone of yours is lovely!!!

Starzin, you ask a good question... I'm actually wondering what a good price for a quality aqua would be. I still have a lot to learn about gemstones - here and there I'm getting an idea what you pay for different stones, but I don't see aquas posted much on PS. I'd def appreciate any insight

 

[LD]

If it helps I bought a 3.64ct unheated Asscher cut Aqua from John at Gemrite about 3 years ago for $390. It's a little more saturated than the one you posted above. In 2007 I bought a 2.26ct highly saturated emerald cut Aqua for $452.

So looking at these figures prices must have increased. I hope this gives you an indication.

 

[chrono]

When you say good quality, how dark of a tone are you looking for? Paraiba International has umpteen pages of aquas for you to get a good feel on current pricing.

 

[LD]

When you say good quality, how dark of a tone are you looking for? Paraiba International has umpteen pages of aquas for you to get a good feel on current pricing.

...... and they have a couple of princess cuts!

 

[Starzin]

I would third that...also http://www.africagems.com/aquamarine.html

As to your question, like any gem something can be found within most budgets and you will see on the AfricaGems site that this holds true for aqua as well so it's best if you decide what your limit is and work mainly within that before you fall in love with a stone worth $5,000.

 

[ChrisA222]

If you are open to ovals...this is a really nice stone...

http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=139&idproduct=4211

 

[Starzin]

It does look nice Chris but the OP is specifically looking for a princess cut.

 

[Jereni]

When you say good quality, how dark of a tone are you looking for? Paraiba International has umpteen pages of aquas for you to get a good feel on current pricing.

Sorry, good point - I will post some pics of examples. Thanks for the recommendation - I honestly wasn't sure if Paraiba tended to be a good vendor in terms of pricing.

I should have been more specific on the budget - generally I put money aside for gemstones on an ongoing basis, so I have healthy fund that this is coming out of. However, naturally I have several projects in mind, so I wasn't intending to spend the whole thing on one stone So, if I'm roughly allocating, I could spend about $1500 on this stone, but then again I don't want to if I don't have to!

I started the thread in part to get your guys thoughts on aquas that were out there, and what prices stones of size and quality should go for. I guess I'm hoping you all can help me not overspend

 

[Jereni]

In terms of color, this would actually be my dream stone:



This is babysteps' gorgeous asscher

 

[Jereni]

I would third that...also http://www.africagems.com/aquamarine.html

As to your question, like any gem something can be found within most budgets and you will see on the AfricaGems site that this holds true for aqua as well so it's best if you decide what your limit is and work mainly within that before you fall in love with a stone worth $5,000.

Thanks for the link! I've been to that site in the past, but I didn't feel like I read about that site much on PS, so I wasn't sure about trusting them.

I found this stone, which is interesting to me. Attractive color and it's the right size. Although, it has heat treatment and I was hoping to avoid that.

Edited to add specs: 2.56 carats, 8mm, 'eye clean plus', and $1300.

 

[Starzin]

Okay then, $1500 is a healthy budget for an aqua but it's true that any vendor with considerable inventory will have more desirable and less desirable stones with prices to match.

The thing about aquas also is that some veer toward blue and others toward green and it's something that may be deceptive in photos unless the vendor is able to provide an "on hand" photo of one you are seriously considering (when you get to that stage).

And a very pretty stone that is too - tending toward the green end of the spectrum.

The most knockout aqua I've ever seen posted on this forum was one I can't find now but the earrings Art Nouveau posted recently will illustrate a very desirable blue...mind-blowingly-blue But greenish it is, just so we know.

 

[Starzin]

I think you'll find several PSers have bought from AfricaGems without problem and would recommend them.

I was going to post that particular stone for you - worth asking about further in my opinion - it ticks all the boxes you specified.

 

[Jereni]

If you are open to ovals...this is a really nice stone...

http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=139&idproduct=4211

Yeah, so this is where I get really confused. I have a tourmaline from Barry and I LOVE it. Here is no doubt a gorgeous, sparkly, well-cut aqua and it's far less than half of the one I just posted above. Granted, the princess cut on AfricaGems is bigger, 2.56 cts vs. 1.7, but that seems like an enormous price difference.

 

[chrono]

The aqua you are inspired by is fairly light and shouldn't cost much. The limiting factor is your desire for an unheated beryl. Almost all aquas have been heat treated to drive off the green component.

 

[Jereni]

The aqua you are inspired by is fairly light and shouldn't cost much. The limiting factor is your desire for an unheated beryl. Almost all aquas have been heat treated to drive off the green component.

Gotcha... so would I be correct in saying that heat treatment actually typically increases the value of an aqua, as opposed to the other way around?

 

[chrono]

If the green is removed, a blue is priced higher in the US. A naturally unheated blue is likely to have a slight premium. In Asia, there is a stronger preference for a greenish aqua.

 

[LD]

I wouldn't say there's a price difference between heated and unheated. Basically the deeper/darker blue with little or no grey will command the highest prices. Whether it's heated or not is secondary. Although I bought my unheated Aqua from John at Gemrite, I don't believe it has any green. I would forget heated/non heated and chose a colour/cut that appeals to you. My preference would be for an Aqua like Art Nouveau's BUT these are few and far between. The colour you've posted (the one from Africa Gems) is very pretty and more what people think of when they say Aquamarine.

 

[Jereni]

Ok, thanks for the feedback on the heated/non-heated thing. I'll try not to worry about that, it's just becoming second nature to me when I hunt for gemstones

So, on the subject of the AfricaGems stone, is $1300 a good price for that? It seems higher than what I'm finding on some of the precision cutters' websites for similar or bigger carat sizes.

This, for example, is 3.68cts, $850


While this, at 2.44cts, $183


Sorry for the continued questions, I'm just trying to see if I can get a handle on the big range of prices that seem to be out there.

 

[T L]

When looking for an aqua, all I can say is "shop around." The prices are all over the place for these stones, even in similar carat weights and tones. The darker the tone though, the more expensive the aqua, but again, prices are all over the place.

 

[chrono]

I've noticed that Africagems tend to be pricier than most of the PS preferred vendors. Looking at the two stones, I'll take Gene's any day over the other one. Although I do not know the lighting condition of Africagem's photography, I know Gene's usually stays true to colour.

 

[Jereni]

Alright, sounds like prices on this type of stone might be hard to define, which is useful knowledge too

I asked for more pics of the AfricaGems stone, and got this back from the person who contacted me. This pic doesn't sway me either way. Color seems nice, but I'm distracted by the fact that I feel like I see straight through parts of the stone. I'm probably being too critical.



Intergem is coming to my neck of the woods in a few weeks, so I will probably just wait til then and try to find an aqua in person.

 

[LD]

Alright, sounds like prices on this type of stone might be hard to define, which is useful knowledge too

I asked for more pics of the AfricaGems stone, and got this back from the person who contacted me. This pic doesn't sway me either way. Color seems nice, but I'm distracted by the fact that I feel like I see straight through parts of the stone. I'm probably being too critical.



Intergem is coming to my neck of the woods in a few weeks, so I will probably just wait til then and try to find an aqua in person.

This photo made me chuckle! Forget the stone for a minute and whether it's cut well or not ..... how on earth can you judge the colour from a photo like that? The person's hands are an incredibly strange colour of bubblegum pink and I've not seen many people that colour! Also, can you see there's a blue hue all around the gem on the hand. There's no way you can assess the real colour of this stone and the person taking the photo, well, perhaps needs to see a doctor as they certainly don't appear to be very well

 

[chrono]

I am sorry to tell you that you will be able to see straight through 99% of aquamarines because of it's low refractive index. It will also show a tilt window at the slightest angle. A lapidary will try their best to add extra and smaller facets at the right angles to minimize it but most of the time, it cannot be eliminated completely. Step cuts show this trait the most easily, as though it is a flat piece of glass. Concave cutting seem to not show this as easily.

LD,
Perhaps he spent too much time under the sun and came back looking a bit pinkish.

 

[Starzin]

how on earth can you judge the colour from a photo like that? The person's hands are an incredibly strange colour of bubblegum pink and I've not seen many people that colour! Also, can you see there's a blue hue all around the gem on the hand. There's no way you can assess the real colour of this stone and the person taking the photo, well, perhaps needs to see a doctor as they certainly don't appear to be very well

How true and beautifully put LD

What a shame they felt compelled to send this. It might be worth replying and saying something to the effect that, while you appreciate their response in sending the photo, the colour has obviously been manipulated given the colour of the person's hands and thus you feel unable to trust the gem colour. In other words, let them know why you find this photo misleading. Vendors will not improve this sort of thing unless they get honest (and polite) feedback - some may not care, others will and take steps to improve/resolve the misrepresentation of a stone.