Aquamarine Gemstone

Aquamarine - The Pure Blue Gemstone

By John Tidball

Aquamarine is one of the best-loved of all gemstones. It is admired for its qualities of purity (lack of inclusions) and fine blue shades, which create a feeling of affinity with nature, evoking the eternal colours of sky and sea. The almost uncannily pure blues of aquamarine are known to inspire in people feelings of love and friendship, and jewellery designers never cease to be fascinated by the qualities of this wonderful gemstone.

According to ancient tradition, aquamarine was to be found in the treasure chests of mermaids, and it has long been regarded as a lucky stone for sailors. Indeed its very name is derived from the Latin "aqua" (water) and "mare" (sea). Aquamarine has also long been held to favour a happy marriage and to bring health, wealth and happiness to the woman who wears it.

Aquamarine belongs to the same gemstone family, beryl, as emerald, with a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale. Unlike emerald however, which is rarely found to be free of inclusions, aquamarine is usually clear and free of inclusions. The element which gives aquamarine its colour is iron, and depending on the amount of iron present in the crystal, the colour can vary from the palest blue to a deep sea blue. The more intense the colour of an aquamarine, the more it is admired and the greater is its value. Furthermore, an intense sea-blue colour seems to emphasise the immaculate transparency and wonderful shine of this gemstone.

Aquamarine is found mainly in Brazil, but considerable deposits are also found in Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique and Madagascar. The Santa Maria mine in Brazil is the source of many of the finest examples of rare, intense blue aquamarine. Africa, notably Mozambique, has also yielded some very fine specimens of aquamarine, but not in the same quantities as Brazil. Gem cutters and jewellery designers never cease to be fascinated by the many qualities of this wonderful gemstone, and indeed aquamarine is often the gemstone of choice for those who wish to create new designs for an ever more demanding market.

The fine aquamarine and diamond ring shown on the "Aquamarine" page of my website is part of the PeerlessGems collection. The central gemstone is a particularly fine example of a clear, intense blue aquamarine, and the surrounding baguette and brilliant cut diamonds perfectly complement the central aquamarine, bringing out its beauty of colour and supreme transparency.

John Tidball is a jeweller and gemmologist. He the proprietor and webmaster of PeerlessGems, a website dedicated to advice and guidance on the purchase of diamonds, engagement rings, diamond jewellery and precious gemstones.

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The Value of Diamonds

Why are Diamonds So Valuable?

By Michael Russell

Diamonds have been revered since their discovery and because they are one of the most brilliant stones and hardest stones in the world, they have come to be recognized as a sign of eternal love and devotion. Moreover, diamonds continue to increase in value and remain beautiful, no matter how long an individual owns them. Thus, diamonds are indeed timeless stones, that are frequently used in pendants, engagement rings, tennis bracelets, earrings and the like.

Of course, the most popular diamond recognized is the white diamond, but there are other
colored diamonds that are just as lovely. The color varieties one can find in a diamond include yellow, brown, light blue, coffee brown, orange brown, pink, green, and red. Although they look nothing like a traditional diamond, some of the colored diamonds are more expensive because they are more difficult to come by. So, if someone is looking for a completely unique gift and they have the finances to do so, they may want to consider purchasing a colored variant of the timeless diamond.

One of the most famous among all Diamonds in the world, of course, is the Hope Diamond, a 112 carat diamond which possesses a bluish or violet coloring. The Hope Diamond has a phenomenal history, first being owned by a French owner, then by King Louis XIV of France. Later the stone was refashioned into a 67 carat diamond. Later still, the diamond used in official ceremonies, was stolen and somehow reappeared in the hands of Henry Philip Hope. The Hope Diamond has had many famous owners, but is now currently housed at the Smithsonian Museum.

Diamonds can be bought at your local jewelry store or they can be bought on the net in a variety of cuts and settings. In terms of the type of cuts available, there is the round cut diamond, the oval cut diamond, the pear cut diamond, the Marquis, the Princess, and the heart cut diamond, the Emerald Cut diamond, and the Trillon cut diamond. The round, oval, and heart cut diamonds clearly look like the names they are identified as. The pear cut diamond, looks more like a diamond on the face of a deck of playing cards; the Marquis Diamond looks like a diamond
with rounded edges; the emerald cut looks like a rectangular gem with beveled edging; the Princess cut looks like a beveled square gem, and the Trillon cut looks much like a triangle with beveled edges.

The only way to really know what shape diamond will appeal to you is to have a look at the various cuts and choose for yourself. You can visit any website offering jewelry and browse through the different catalogues available. Once you get a good idea of what you want you can order a piece to size and have your order shipped directly too you. Or, if you prefer, you can visit a local jeweler, browse the counter displays and try on different pieces, whatever is to your liking.

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Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Diamonds

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