Quality aquamarine v. mall aquamarine

[beaujolais]

Can you tell me/describe what the differences are that I'd see between a quality aquamarine and a mall aquamarine?

I've never, in person, seen anything other than a mall aquamarine.

Thanks.

 

[T L]

Oh that''s an easy one. Quality aquamarine is a vibrant blue color. Mall aquamarine is almost colorless.

 

[marcy]

Date: 10/12/2008 11:33:48 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Oh that''s an easy one. Quality aquamarine is a vibrant blue color. Mall aquamarine is almost colorless.

So true and good colored aquas are gorgeous if you can find them.

 

[ma re]

Date: 10/12/2008 11:33:48 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Oh that''s an easy one. Quality aquamarine is a vibrant blue color. Mall aquamarine is almost colorless.

I wouldn''t call it vibrant, more like...light and fresh - instead of washed out. Clarity can also be quite diferent; aquas are known for their extraordinary clarity when compared to other stones. That doesen''t mean that mall stones are not clear, they just rarely have that watery, crystaline clarity "of a mountain spring". Because of that quality, at first glance, you''d think it''s another stone cause "aquamarine shouldn''t be so brilliant due to relatively low R. I".

Of course, stone has to be quite large for any of those qualities to be clearly visible (probably at least a full carat and experts say best are 3 carats and up).

 

[babysteps]

Hi, here is a pic of my aqua - my understanding is that aqua is usually heated to bring out the blue hues (apologies if this is not quite correct) - this hasn''t been so it is more of a seafoam color. This is just my personal favorite shade but I think it still has the fresh, rich tone of a nice aqua.

 

[Catmom]

Sonoma, here''s a good example.

Mall aqua complete with window..........

 

[Catmom]

Quality aqua.....

 

[coatimundi_org]

Date: 10/13/2008 10:04:34 AM
Author: babysteps
Hi, here is a pic of my aqua - my understanding is that aqua is usually heated to bring out the blue hues (apologies if this is not quite correct) - this hasn't been so it is more of a seafoam color. This is just my personal favorite shade but I think it still has the fresh, rich tone of a nice aqua.

Oh I love this shade too! Unheated aqua is gorgeous. Babysteps--I love your stone!

Yeah, low quality is essentially colorless. There's a lot of it coming out of China these days.

 

[babysteps]

Thanks Coati!

I miss that stone - it''s in lockdown on the other side of the world while we do our expat assignment . . . I look forward to setting it some day!

 

[ma re]

Catmom - great pics (when I saw the mall specimen and read "a good example" I almost fainted - thought you really think of it as a quality aqua

).

Babysteps - a great stone you''ve got. Wouldn''t be classified as the finest aqua in terms of color (heated ones are more prized), but that''s just personal preference anyway. Interesting cut too.

 

[Kelli]

Date: 10/13/2008 10:04:34 AM
Author: babysteps
Hi, here is a pic of my aqua - my understanding is that aqua is usually heated to bring out the blue hues (apologies if this is not quite correct) - this hasn''t been so it is more of a seafoam color. This is just my personal favorite shade but I think it still has the fresh, rich tone of a nice aqua.

I love this color too! To me it''s prettier!

 

[beaujolais]

Oh, how beautiful ! !

Thanks all.

Babysteps, that is one of the most awesome things I''ve ever seen. I love that color.

Catmom, yours seems to have some green in it, also. No?

---

Must win lotto . . .

 

[T L]

Here's my 8 carat Nigerian aqua. Hint - not purchased from a mall.

 

[T L]

Date: 10/13/2008 10:04:34 AM
Author: babysteps
Hi, here is a pic of my aqua - my understanding is that aqua is usually heated to bring out the blue hues (apologies if this is not quite correct) - this hasn''t been so it is more of a seafoam color. This is just my personal favorite shade but I think it still has the fresh, rich tone of a nice aqua.

I actually like them with a little bit of green. I think that''s starting to get popular again with aquas.

 

[omieluv]

Sonomacounty, color is always a matter of personal preference and from what I have been learning is very important in terms of colored gems. For instance, some people prefer their aquas to be closer to the color of the ocean (blue/green), while others prefer for it to be more blue. To some extent, the cut of the gem will impact how well it displays its color and a skilled cutter will know how to best cut the stone to showcase its color potential. This is where mall stores can get you, as they "typically" do not have the best cut stones. When I was searching for my aqua, color was most important to me, as I did not want washed out stone. Often times, I would see aquas that look very washed out (both online and in stores), but after seeing Catmom's beautiful aqua pendant, I knew what I wanted in terms of color.

It so happened that Richard Homer had some high quality aqua rough available, so he used that and added his signature cut. The cut might or might not be to your liking, but I had not seen an aqua of this color at the mall. I did see however, several washed out and poorly cut stones (e.g., huge windows, facets not lining up, etc) at the mall. If you like my ring, you can see other pictures here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/great-grandmothers-e-ring-homer-aqua.91479/

 

[Catmom]

Date: 10/13/2008 3:13:57 PM
Author: sonomacounty
Oh, how beautiful ! !

Thanks all.

Babysteps, that is one of the most awesome things I''ve ever seen. I love that color.

Catmom, yours seems to have some green in it, also. No?

---

Must win lotto . . .

Yes it does. Mine is unheated like babysteps.

Thanks Omie!

 

[beaujolais]

Thanks Omieluv.

Oh, everyone - please realize that I was not saying one could find good aquas at the mall. I do know better.

I''ve learned a lot from this thread and really do appreciate your help. Catmom - you have some Exquisite pieces ! ! !

 

[kcgunesq]

For one example of a good aqua, see my recent thread here The aqua used in this project was a deep blue 2.35ct nicely cut stone. At ~$200+/ct it is a nice stone. Decent color and very nice cut. No window, nice checkerboard faceting. One of the stones I turned down was a spectacular deep vivid blue in color at ~$400/ct that just didn''t excite me overall. I''d say that the two things you will notice first in comparing a nice aqua to a mall aqua is color and cut. Very little mall aqua will fall into even the "deep" category and almost none the "deep vivid". The two cut issues that should jump out are (1) the lack of a window, especially a pronounced window. (2) the overall proportions and faceting quality (meets meet).

For the record, the black specks in photo two are both surface crud, not inclusions.

 

[Catmom]

Aww thank, sonoma!!

 

[movie zombie]

while i know that that blue aqua is the coveted color right now, my heart goes wild for that seafoam one! which color is the sought after, higher priced has changed many times over the course of time.

movie zombie

 

[Ellen]

Cut has so much to do with it, as said before. I had an Aqua recut (by Richard Homer) and the difference was truly unbelievable. A before and after shot.

 

[babysteps]

WOW

to all the gorgeous aquas (and thanks for the kind comments on my aqua baby!

) Ellen, I don''t know if I had seen pix of your aqua before you had it recut, I must have missed them - what a transformation! It was beautiful to start with, but now it just looks like you could tumble into that blueness and just keep falling . . . the new cut truly highlights the color and clarity, I love it.

 

[Kelli]

Ellen I am in L

VE with your aqua ring, in fact, I never saw an aqua I did love until yours! Babysteps that color is exquisite also. Lots of pretty stones in this thread

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 10/14/2008 12:07:05 PM
Author: Kelli
Ellen I am in L

VE with your aqua ring, in fact, I never saw an aqua I did love until yours! Babysteps that color is exquisite also. Lots of pretty stones in this thread

Ditto this, Ellen! Your Aqua recut of such a sentimental stone made me take a secnod look at Aquas. I''m in love with them in Step-cut shapes, now!

 

[Ellen]

baby, Kelli and Lauren, thank you!

I have had this (new) ring for several months now, and I am still amazed at the transformation.