How to Evaluate Aquamarine Gemstones

Aquamarine gemstones are beautiful as accents or as the centerpiece of a piece of jewelry.

Aquamarines come in beautiful shades of blue from sky blue to a shade not dissimilar to the brilliant blue of the Pacific ocean. In fact, aquamarine gemstones get their name because they were considered by sailors throughout history to be a lucky stone. If you are considering buying an aquamarine gemstone, you should factor in not only color, but several other unique aspects of this gemstone as well.

Instructions

1. Find out the gem's origin. Aquamarines' value is often determined partly by origin. Some mines produce more coveted stones, such as the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil. Mozambique mines also have a particularly good reputation. However, in the end for most buyers, it is more important to have a beautiful stone than a less lovely version with a good pedigree.

2. 

   Select a shade that you like. Aquamarines come in shades from the lightest sky blue that is almost clear to a very deep, clear aquatic blue. Most aquamarines are free or nearly free of interior inclusions, but if you want a light shade then it is more important to select a stone that does not have any large flaws on the inside as they will muddy the brilliance. Conversely, flaws in a darker stone can actually make the stone brighter and more interesting to look at.

3. 

   Consider the cut of the gem. While aquamarine can be flattering in a variety of traditional cuts, its hardness and nearly inclusion-free attributes enable jewel cutters to be more "artistic" with the gem than is generally common. Aquamarines can be custom cut with additional notches and grooves to magnify the brilliance of the gem even further, and sometimes jewelers deliberately create their own surface inclusions on lower levels of the gem to create a more interesting play of light on the stone.

4. Inspect the gem for clarity. While most aquamarines have few to no flaws, it is important to make sure that the top surface of the gem is not scratched or nicked. In darker stones, jewelers may actually create flaws or cut around them to emphasize them as they can emphasize the color and sparkle of the gem. However, light stones should be free of interior and exterior inclusions that will mar the beautiful shine of the stone.

Tips & Warnings

• Aquamarines are very hard gemstones, which makes them ideal for frequent wear.