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Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo heavy)

MrsMagpie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
29
Hi all :) I'm mostly a lurker, but I thought I'd share my freshly fixed up stone. I inherited this Aquamarine from my grandmother, and it was in desperate need of a polish and had quite a sizeable window on the back. I just got it back today, and it looks so much better! I will have to see if I can get my hands on a before pic.

My paperwork I have on the stone states that it is an Aquamarine, but the gal at the jeweler's said she would say Topaz based on color. I'm curious what some of the eyes here think :) I have a pretty untrained eye, but I see a fair amount of green and grey, but I could be way off. I will say that the green is much more apparent after the re-cut. It lost a hair less than a carat but the surface measurements stayed basically the same.

Thanks for looking! I can't wait to set this!

aquasun.jpg

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MrsMagpie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
29
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

More pics :D

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Arialle

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
54
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

This is a beautiful stone :)

I have seen both aquamarine and topaz in this shade of blue...it is really difficult to tell by naked eyes...
One indicator is the price though...topaz tends to be much cheaper than aquamarine (though I have no idea why...I think Topaz rank higher on the Mohs hardness scale?)
 

Nsmike

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 17, 2016
Messages
89
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

Arialle|1469065170|4057794 said:
This is a beautiful stone :)

I have seen both aquamarine and topaz in this shade of blue...it is really difficult to tell by naked eyes...
One indicator is the price though...topaz tends to be much cheaper than aquamarine (though I have no idea why...I think Topaz rank higher on the Mohs hardness scale?)
I can guess.
1 The history of aquamarine being included in the royal jewels of Europe.
2 A lot of blue topaz is treated
3 Topaz is subject to chipping
4 the difference in hardness is negligible Mohs 8 vs Mohs 7.5-8.
 

Tourmaline

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
2,560
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

How exciting!!
 

Acinom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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May 15, 2013
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10,535
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

What a beautiful result and I love the story behind the stone.
 

MrsMagpie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
29
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

Arialle|1469065170|4057794 said:
This is a beautiful stone :)

I have seen both aquamarine and topaz in this shade of blue...it is really difficult to tell by naked eyes...
One indicator is the price though...topaz tends to be much cheaper than aquamarine (though I have no idea why...I think Topaz rank higher on the Mohs hardness scale?)


Thank you :)

I figured it was a "could-go-either-way" color, but I have no clue about price on this guy. My Gramps got it and a handful of other gems as his commission when he was in real estate. Fun stuff! This stone and a green tourmaline were the only two in the parcel that had any sort of paperwork. The Gemologist as the jeweler's offered to identify it for me for a fee, but I declined. The certificate I have is signed by two GGs so I'll call it good for now? but there's still that doubt, ha!
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

Ask the lapidary who tweaked the stone for you. He/she should be able to tell you.
 

PrecisionGem

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Messages
2,016
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

Chrono|1469116393|4057965 said:
Ask the lapidary who tweaked the stone for you. He/she should be able to tell you.

Very true. Cutting and polishing an aquamarine would give the cutter a different feel than cutting and polishing topaz.
A simple refractive index measurement will quickly separate the two stones.
 

MrsMagpie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
29
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

Chrono|1469116393|4057965 said:
Ask the lapidary who tweaked the stone for you. He/she should be able to tell you.


I went through my local jeweler, and they won't tell me who he is :( She says because he only deals with trade,I can't know who cut it. I live in an area where I know of two lapidaries within an hours drive, and I probably should have just contacted one of them on my own... bah!

I wondered if he told the gal at the shop, and that's why she said topaz.

So here's another question: The paperwork I have on this is from the United States Gemological Services, Inc and dated 1981. It looks like USGSI is no longer in business, but can I consider it legit?

Once I get this set, I will have it appraised for sure.
 

MrsMagpie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
29
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

Acinom|1469116030|4057960 said:
What a beautiful result and I love the story behind the stone.

Thanks :) I'd never be able to have a stone like this on my own, and the added bonus is the family history. And it looks so much better now- it had a pretty good sized scratch on top, but all better now!

I have to say, I am DYING over your VC topaz. DYING. It's absolutely stunning!
 

PrecisionGem

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 27, 2004
Messages
2,016
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

Nsmike|1469114308|4057949 said:
Arialle|1469065170|4057794 said:
This is a beautiful stone :)

I have seen both aquamarine and topaz in this shade of blue...it is really difficult to tell by naked eyes...
One indicator is the price though...topaz tends to be much cheaper than aquamarine (though I have no idea why...I think Topaz rank higher on the Mohs hardness scale?)
I can guess.
1 The history of aquamarine being included in the royal jewels of Europe.
2 A lot of blue topaz is treated
3 Topaz is subject to chipping
4 the difference in hardness is negligible Mohs 8 vs Mohs 7.5-8.

Actually it is the same as most things in life... supply vs demand.

Topaz is much much much more common than aquamarine. Aquamarine with a stronger blue is very rare, blue topaz is not. Very large clean pieces of blue topaz are readily available, the same is not at all true for aquamarine.
 

partgypsy

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
Messages
6,622
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

It would bug me to have this stone and not know whether it is an aqua or a topaz. If you can't ask the cutter, then send it away for a gem brief or get an appraisal? Most salespeople in jewelry stores are shockingly uninformed about gemstones so I wouldn't take one salesperson's view of it.
 

Nsmike

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 17, 2016
Messages
89
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

I'd really wonder about a jeweler that would judge a stone simply by color especially aquamarine vs topaz. I believe a simple thermal conductivity test would be the go to test.
 

MrsMagpie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
29
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

part gypsy|1469203400|4058342 said:
It would bug me to have this stone and not know whether it is an aqua or a topaz. If you can't ask the cutter, then send it away for a gem brief or get an appraisal? Most salespeople in jewelry stores are shockingly uninformed about gemstones so I wouldn't take one salesperson's view of it.


It bugs me to some extent, mostly because I have a document signed by two GGs stating it's an Aqua, but the gemologist at the store (the one who supposed it was Topaz based on color) just looks at me like I'm lying and/ or dumb. I don't know... it irks me, ha

This is what I have, if anyone know about this lab I'm all ears! I can't find much about them, other than some of the older stones sold on the internet have i.d cards or what have you from them.

usgsi1.jpg

usgsi2.jpg
 

MrsMagpie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
29
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

Nsmike|1469212042|4058381 said:
I'd really wonder about a jeweler that would judge a stone simply by color especially aquamarine vs topaz. I believe a simple thermal conductivity test would be the go to test.


I wasn't thrilled, but she was more than happy to take it home and test it for a fee. They were nice enough, but after all this experience I'm going to be going into LA to have it set.
 

stracci2000

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Messages
8,346
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

What a beautiful stone!!
Hopefully you can find out for sure whether this is aqua or topaz. It will be a fabulous ring.

Also, Mrs Magpie, I have to say that I love that photo of Kauai in your avator!!

When I was a kid, my dad used to call me a magpie, because I loved shiny things...and still do!
 

MrsMagpie

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
29
Re: Got my Aquamarine back from the cutter today! (photo hea

stracci2000|1469381261|4058833 said:
What a beautiful stone!!
Hopefully you can find out for sure whether this is aqua or topaz. It will be a fabulous ring.

Also, Mrs Magpie, I have to say that I love that photo of Kauai in your avator!!

When I was a kid, my dad used to call me a magpie, because I loved shiny things...and still do!


Thank you! I'm excited to get it set so I can look at it more often :)

Kauai is pretty much the only place my husband and I have traveled to, and it's just so beautiful. All of the different shades of blue and green- amazing!

Too funny about your dad calling you a magpie, that's exactly how I earned my nickname. No such thing as too much shine & sparkle! :D :D
 
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