Aquamarine Question

[kimmyintexas]

Hi everyone!

Is this aqua too included for a halo ring setting? I don''t know very much about gems but this is the right size, shape, and price range for me. Thanks.

http://www.gemhunters.com.au/picture.php?show=1&cat=68&pict=1032&pagenum=1

Kimmy

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Have you bought it? Aquas are typically clean stones, and it is not hard to find one that is eyeclean. It looks kind of windowed as well, but it is from an angle. I don''t see a problem with putting a halo around it though.

 

[kimmyintexas]

No, I am thinking of buying it but I can''t tell about the inclusions from the pic. It just mentions that it has them and not a lot of other info. Have any of you bought from this vendor? Thanks a bunch!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

No I have not, but the stone seems very light, and the description makes it sound like the inclusions are eye visible, and that the vendor is trying to play it up.

A nice aqua is very hard to find. Are you looking specifically for an aqua or just a blue stone? What size are you hoping to get?

 

[kimmyintexas]

I am looking for an aqua in that shape or similar (squarish) for my 19th anniversary ring that I will have custom made and I want it somwhere in the 2.5 to 3.5 ct range. I kind of like the darker colored aquas better but I want one that is untreated (don''t I?). Thanks for your help!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

An untreated aqua that is a deep color is going to be very high priced. Heat treatment for an aqua is very common. The good thing is that aqua rough tends to be large so finding a large stone is easier than other types of stones. I almost bought a stone 2 days ago that was heated. For aquas, I look at the color, and if the color is great, I really don't care if it is heated or not. But you might think differently!

I have a light/medium aqua, and it looks like a deeper blue, but really has a gray mask (not a good thing). The gray mask adds depth to the color, but the gray shows up at an angle.

I think the best balance for budget is to find a medium blue and bezel set it to darken it a bit (Tiffany's bezel's most of their aquas). Aquas are clean stones, so getting an eye clean stone won't raise the price significantly

 

[LD]

Date: 3/13/2009 11:52:25 AM
Author: kimmyintexas
I am looking for an aqua in that shape or similar (squarish) for my 19th anniversary ring that I will have custom made and I want it somwhere in the 2.5 to 3.5 ct range. I kind of like the darker colored aquas better but I want one that is untreated (don''t I?). Thanks for your help!

When you say untreated do you mean unheated? Typically Aquas are either heated or not. In any event, and in my very humble opinion, it''s not like a sapphire where there is a big price hike between heated or not. When I buy an Aqua I look for colour first.

At 8.6mm this is a large gemstone and will be very substantial with a halo. The other thing you need to check is the depth of the stone. If it''s deep it''ll sit incredibly high above the finger. I''ve got an Aqua that is so deep it''s almost too deep to set!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I love this aqua from Richard

aqua

 

[omieluv]

Date: 3/13/2009 11:59:27 AM
Author: LtlFirecracker
An untreated aqua that is a deep color is going to be very high priced. Heat treatment for an aqua is very common. The good thing is that aqua rough tends to be large so finding a large stone is easier than other types of stones. I almost bought a stone 2 days ago that was heated. For aquas, I look at the color, and if the color is great, I really don't care if it is heated or not. But you might think differently!

I have a light/medium aqua, and it looks like a deeper blue, but really has a gray mask (not a good thing). The gray mask adds depth to the color, but the gray shows up at an angle.

I think the best balance for budget is to find a medium blue and bezel set it to darken it a bit (Tiffany's bezel's most of their aquas). Aquas are clean stones, so getting an eye clean stone won't raise the price significantly

My aqua is similar, but more on the medium side, though I do not know whether the gray mask is heavy or not. Heating is done to eliminate the green from the stone, however, I have been finding that aquas on the blue/green side are quite beautiful as well. As stated before, it just depends on what you like.

To find my aqua, I went through Wink who showed me one from Pala Gems and one from Richard Homer. The stone from Pala was rather dull compared to Richard's (pre-concave cut), so I went with the Homer stone. I was looking for a 6mm stone, so that limited me quite a bit, since aquas are more readily available in larger sizes. My stone is quite clear.

Regarding the stone you have found, it looks like there might be a large window, however, I am no expert. Perhaps request a few more pictures from the vendor. Also, does this vendor have a return policy?

 

[tlh]

Date: 3/13/2009 1:13:29 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
I love this aqua from Richard

aqua

yum me too!

 

[kimmyintexas]

Thank you all so much. I am glad to know that I shouldn''t worry about the heating thing. I know I am pretty clueless about this stuff. The stone in your link is gorgeous but I don''t want to do an oval because my 20th anniversary ring is going to be a oval diamond e ring. What about the one below? I am also attaching a link to the ring I am wanting to have replicated. It has a smaller stone but I have a size 10 finger ( I am 6 ft tall...you know everything is bigger in Texas right? lol ) so I figure I need a larger stone to have the same proportions.

http://www.webgraphicsengineering.com/Gemstones/detail.cfm?zNum=5425

http://www.ross-simons.com/products/427867.html

Thanks for your help....ya''ll are awesome!!

 

[LD]

Date: 3/13/2009 2:30:58 PM
Author: kimmyintexas
Thank you all so much. I am glad to know that I shouldn''t worry about the heating thing. I know I am pretty clueless about this stuff. The stone in your link is gorgeous but I don''t want to do an oval because my 20th anniversary ring is going to be a oval diamond e ring. What about the one below? I am also attaching a link to the ring I am wanting to have replicated. It has a smaller stone but I have a size 10 finger ( I am 6 ft tall...you know everything is bigger in Texas right? lol ) so I figure I need a larger stone to have the same proportions.

http://www.webgraphicsengineering.com/Gemstones/detail.cfm?zNum=5425

http://www.ross-simons.com/products/427867.html

Thanks for your help....ya''ll are awesome!!

OMG That would look sensational! The cut on the aqua is outstanding and the ring design is awesome. My only hesitation, and I would ask Richard Homer for his opinion on this one, is how the "look" of the stone would be affected by a bezel setting. If he thinks it would be ok then I''d leap in and buy buy buy!!!

My only other comment is that the setting does seem very expensive and I wonder if you could have the same thing made for less? I don''t know how much it costs to have settings made in the US but that does look on the high side.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Setting ideas
Halo1

Two tone vintage

intricate

bling

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I aqua I almost bought was the 0.95 ct one from Richard Homer. I think his aquas are very pretty, and will probably get one in the future from him.

LOGR might be a good option for a setting

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 3/13/2009 4:27:51 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker
I aqua I almost bought was the 0.95 ct one from Richard Homer. I think his aquas are very pretty, and will probably get one in the future from him.


LOGR might be a good option for a setting

Haha, I think I know which one you're talking about!
.95ct aqua

Since I'm under budget on my pad project, I have a little to spare for a pet rock, hehe.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Date: 3/13/2009 4:30:04 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 3/13/2009 4:27:51 PM

Author: LtlFirecracker

I aqua I almost bought was the 0.95 ct one from Richard Homer. I think his aquas are very pretty, and will probably get one in the future from him.



LOGR might be a good option for a setting

Haha, I think I know which one you're talking about!

.95ct aqua


Since I'm under budget on my pad project, I have a little to spare for a pet rock, hehe.

Yes, Richard said there is no gray in it at all. He is discounting his stones a little while his site is being fixed. It is a bit more expensive than the typical aqua, but than again, that is a hard color to find. I actually paid for it, and than did a 180 and decided to get a garnet instead, just because the orange spessartite garnets are getting harder to find.

I did not have money to spare for another pet rock after that garnet

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 3/13/2009 4:45:29 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker

Date: 3/13/2009 4:30:04 PM

Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 3/13/2009 4:27:51 PM


Author: LtlFirecracker


I aqua I almost bought was the 0.95 ct one from Richard Homer. I think his aquas are very pretty, and will probably get one in the future from him.




LOGR might be a good option for a setting

Haha, I think I know which one you''re talking about!


.95ct aqua



Since I''m under budget on my pad project, I have a little to spare for a pet rock, hehe.

Yes, Richard said there is no gray in it at all. He is discounting his stones a little while his site is being fixed. It is a bit more expensive than the typical aqua, but than again, that is a hard color to find. I actually paid for it, and than did a 180 and decided to get a garnet instead, just because the orange spessartite garnets are getting harder to find.


I did not have money to spare for another pet rock after that garnet

Yeah, 600 is a bit much for a aqua under a ct, but it does seem to have a lovely color! I''m debating between it and a garnet as well actually, lol. After seeing all the lovely malayas on here, I kind of want one...especially because garnet is my birthstone!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I have had much better luck finding a nice garnet vs a nice aqua. And there is so much variety, that you can get a nice color for a lower price. Overall, I find aquas are hard stones to buy.