Zircon, Topaz or Aqua for Blue Stone?

[NewEnglandLady]

I would love some advice from some of you colored stone experts! I feel like I know nothing about colored stones, but love lurking over here...you guys are so helpful.

I''m thinking of buying a loose stone to put in a simple RHR sometime this year. I''d love a nice bright blue or blue/green, but don''t know what kind of stone to buy. I think I''ve narrowed it down to an aquamarine (after seeing Harriet''s amazing stone), zircon or topaz. From my understanding, the beryl and zircon familes are similar in hardness (7.5), but beyond that I don''t know what other differences there are. And while Blue Topaz is very, very inexpensive, it sounds like topaz undergoes MANY treatments, especially blue topaz since blue topaz isn''t natural.

I''d love to get your opinins on this?

 

[FrekeChild]

How often would you wear it?
Topaz undergoes irradiation and/or heating to make it blue. It has an 8 on the Moh's hardness scale, but it has cleavage, so if hit in just the right spot it will likely crack. This is the cheapest option, because there is a ton of it out there.
Getting a brighter blue aquamarine is going to be expensive, from what I understand the darker the blue it is, the more valuable it is.
Zircon has the problem (I'm not sure what you call it) that the facets wear down rather quickly (compared to other gems) unless you don't wear it often.

What shape and size are you going for?

(And I love this question because it's something I've had to think about a lot because I wanted the same bright blue for my e-ring, and I've weighed the pros and cons a LOT.)

ETA: What's the budget?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Thanks for all of that info, Frekechild!! I''m heavily leaning towards an aqua because I love how many different hues come out in the light. I just fell head over heels for them after seeing Harriet''s. As far as shape, I''m a little torn. I love step cuts like Mariah Carey loves miniskirts, but I am really thinking I''m going to branch out on this one and get a nice, plump pear or marquise (which I''d set E/W). I love the idea of bezel setting it in sort of a hammered/matte gold setting (if that makes any sense). Right now I''m loving this pear:

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?-344964277

Are there any sites that are known for having great aquas?

I guess I''d like something around 3 carats...are aquas a heavy or light stone? I''m really flexible on the size. Nothing bigger than 5 carats, nothing smaller than 2. I don''t really have a budget, either (do I sound completely lost or what?). If I could keep it under $2K for the stone and settting I would be happy. I don''t think I''d wear it very often, I only wear my e-ring once or twice a week and I''d probably wear this ring even less. Ideally I''d like 3 - 4 RHRs and mix them up when I felt like wearing one.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[FrekeChild]

Here's AJS's aquas (not a lot): link

Rarestone

Wildfish blue-violet spectrum

long skinny aqua from Cherrypicked

I didn't see anything worthwhile at Gemselect. (At least with Aquas)

Forever Gemstone two pears of decent size on there.

Nothing really on Angara...

I dunno...maybe someone else can chime in. I don't really know enough about Aquamarines.

ETA: I really like that pear on Multicolor. Very unusual color and cut.

 

[Elmorton]

What about apatite? Isn''t that one a tealy blue?

 

[Harriet]

Apatites are way too soft for rings. With respect to heaviness, aquas are fairly low on the specific gravity scale. So, you can have a bigger looking stone for the same carat weight as, say, topaz or zircon. Here's a whole page of aquas, with some better cut than others: http://www.paraibainternational.com/products.php?category=5&products_shape=0&sort_price=2&sort_weight=&products_quantity_type=1&products_color=&sort_new=&page=all&submit=Refine+Search

You might also want to consider blue-green tourmalines. They're interesting stones -- blue on one axis and green on another.

Thanks for the honourable mention, but I don't have an aqua. Perhaps you're thinking about Ellen's?

 

[Kismet]

ATG has some pretty blue zircon but not much in the way of aquamarine. I rather like this pear at ACS.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 6/26/2008 4:49:42 PM
Author: Harriet
Apatites are way too soft for rings. With respect to heaviness, aquas are fairly low on the specific gravity scale. So, you can have a bigger looking stone for the same carat weight as, say, topaz or zircon. Here''s a whole page of aquas, with some better cut than others: http://www.paraibainternational.com/products.php?category=5&products_shape=0&sort_price=2&sort_weight=&products_quantity_type=1&products_color=&sort_new=&page=all&submit=Refine+Search

You might also want to consider blue-green tourmalines. They''re interesting stones -- blue on one axis and green on another.

Thanks for the honourable mention, but I don''t have an aqua. Perhaps you''re thinking about Ellen''s?

My brain is dead, I tell you! I can''t believe I somehow swapped you and Ellen in my head. My apologies to you both!

Thanks again to everybody for your help!

 

[Harriet]

No worries. At least it''s El, and not someone else.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/26/2008 5:30:02 PM
Author: Harriet
No worries. At least it''s El, and not someone else.

lol! Thanks Harriet.

And no worries NEL!