A Guide to Buying Aquamarine @ Jewel Info 4 U
By: Sowmya
Looking for a gift to celebrate 16th
or 19th year of your marriage? Or is
March the birth month of yours or
your loved one's? Well if that’s so
then you could consider buying
aquamarine jewelry. Why? Aquamarine
is the birthstone for the month of
March and anniversary gemstone for
the 16th & 19th year of marriage.
Some basic facts for buying
Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a semiprecious
gemstone, named so for its light to
medium seawater blue color. Its
color actually ranges from light
blue to blue-green. It is a kind of
beryl (a mineral) which is famous
beryl called emerald. The leading
producer of aquamarines is the
country of Brazil. Other sources
include countries like Nigeria,
Mozambique, and India.
 As
aquamarine is a hard gemstone, it
would be a good choice for earrings,
pendants and other jewelry worn on a
regular basis. Ancient lore has it
that it re-awakens love in
long-married couples and signifies
the making of new friends. It is
also thought to provide courage, to
strengthen the will and increase
wisdom. Wonderful reasons to buy it,
aren't they?
So what must you look out for
while buying aquamarine?
While buying, keep the following in
mind - size, cut, quality (criteria
like color / clarity / treatments).
Details on the criteria are given
below:
Size
Gemstones are sold on per- carat
basis, so the size of the stone
depends much on carat weight. The
prices for the aquamarines would
thus, depend on how dense the
particular piece is.
Cut
The cut of the stone decides how
beautiful it is. It should neither
be too deep nor too shallow, neither
too wide nor too narrow. A well-cut
aquamarine would reflect light back
in a pleasing way.Clarity and
Color
The highest quality aquamarine is
transparent; its hues range from
near colorless to the sea green and
blue skies. Check for any flaws in
the stone.
Treatment
The most common treatments for
aquamarine are Irradiation and Heat
Treatment.
Most gem aquamarines have been
provided with the heat treatment in
order to produce the popular
blue-green colors from the less
sought after yellow or pale stones.
It is a generally accepted practice.
Irradiation is used to bring out
color and removes imperfections.
Most dealers are aware if the stones
have been irradiated and would tell
you if honest.
The price
Generally, the price for aquamarines
ranges between $5 and $100 per
carat.
A final word
Since aquamarine look very similar
to blue topaz, blue tourmaline,
sapphire, beware while buying your
stone. Also watch out for imitation
jewelry made from similar looking
cheaper gemstones, and also from
glass..
So in conclusion, here is a
checklist you can keep in mind while
shopping:
* Is the stone natural or synthetic?
* What is its carat weight? And what
is the per carat price?
* How is the cut? You need to check
the angles are the reflection.
* How clear is the stone? Is the
color even throughout the stone?
* Are there any noticeable flaws
like scratches, chips or inclusions?
* Has it been treated in any manner?
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