Aquamarine gemstones
If you happened to be born in March, you are sure to fancy your exquisite symbol of beauty, honesty and loyalty in your birthstone, the aquamarine. The priced aquamarine gemstone faceted into enormous super quality transparent cuts of aquamarine rings, pendants, earrings and bracelets are truly a priced possession of a gemstone connoisseur, and the popularity of the gemstone continues to rise.
Aquamarine is known to be the blue/blue-green variety of the mineral beryl. This variety includes a range of shades in blue including pale blue, blue, deeper blue and blue green. Then there are also the less desirable shades of pale yellow in the aquamarine variety.
The other variety of the mineral beryl is the popular emerald and lesser known morganite and heliodor gemstones. The blue aquamarine variety, however, claims credence over any other variety of beryl due its super flawless, transparent quality and for being a hard gemstone.
In gemological terms, this gemstone has a hexagonal crystal system with its composition being Be3Al2(SiO3)6. It has one direction or poor cleavage, hardness of 7.5 to 8 units, birefringence of 0.004-0.008 units, and the index of refraction is 1.57 to 1.60.
The choice of aquamarine gemstone is as varied as its blue-green shades. World over, the blue-green, blue and deeper blue shades are preferred over less desirable pale yellow shades of aquamarine. Nevertheless, paler shades of aquamarine gemstones can be heat treated to a temperature over 400 degrees centigrade to obtain the blue-green or the blue aquamarine gemstone of one?s choice. The fact, however, is that almost all aquamarine gemstones that are available in the market are heat treated to obtain the blue aquamarine shade.
That means, deeper the blue shade in the gemstone greater is the heat treatment and greater is its value of aquamarines. The highest quality of aquamarine is total transparent. Enormous transparent masses of aquamarine have been found and gems weighing thousands of carats have been cut from them. Therefore, the gemstone is worn essentially to highlight the transparency of the aquamarine and so is the rising popularity of pendants, earrings, finger rings and bracelets made out of aquamarine gemstones. Popular cuts of aquamarine gemstones include pear step cut, rectangular cut, oval cut and the cabochon cut.
Brazil is known to be the source of most of the world?s finest aquamarines and the country has a good number of mines that manufacture aquamarine gemstones. Then a few mines in the Ural Mountains of Russia followed by USA, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nigeria and Madagascar also manufacture aquamarine gemstones. As these gemstones are abundantly available, aquamarine gemstones have an established market worldwide. Enormous transparent masses of aquamarine have been found and gems weighing thousands of carats have been cut and crafted from them.
Understandably, there is no need for synthetic aquamarine gemstones in the market and not surprising, synthetic gemstones are not commonly available. Moreover the cost of producing synthetic aquamarine gemstones ones are more expensive than natural aquamarines.
The cost of natural aquamarine gemstones seem rather reasonable. Single stone aquamarine pendants, earrings, finger rings and bracelets are available in the range of $ 29 to $ 1370 plus (tentative figures). Although the cost of aquamarine gemstones is affordable, usually elegant and dainty pieces of ornaments are made out of them so as to highlight the transparency of the gemstones individually.
Other gemstones like blue topaz, zircon, blue tourmaline and euclase are complete lookalikes of aquamarine gemstones, often confusing discriminating buyers of aquamarine gemstones. In the case of blue topaz, even the physical properties are found to be quite similar. Buyers are warned about the authenticity of aquamarine gemstones as there have been several reported incidents of crook jewelry dealers passing off other cheap stones with considerable impurities as aquamarine gemstones.
It therefore is pertinent to buy natural aquamarine gemstones from a reliable and trusted jeweler or a jewelry dealer. From such dealers, the buyer will receive proper guidance on the maintenance of aquamarines. This gemstone needs a rather different kind of maintenance. Constant exposure to light can make the gemstone pale. Although properties of aquamarines make it a hard, durable gemstone, it can develop internal cracks if banged hard.
Aquamarine gemstones are known for their transparent flawless nature unlike emeralds. Many large flawless aquamarine gemstones have been cut without any trace of impurity. Very rarely, however, few traces of iron may be found in aquamarine crystals.
Apart from being symbolic of beauty, honesty and loyalty, aquamarine gemstones are considered to be a harbinger of love and affection. Aquamarine rings are considered to be ideal wedding gifts. It is also said to have some healing powers. The gemstone is known to work against nerve pain, glandular problems, toothache, neck and throat disorders, joint aches and several other disorders. Some even carry an aquamarine gemstone while sailing as it is said to protect from sea sickness.
Gemstones in general, reflect the personality of the person wearing it. And for those interested in aquamarines, living it up with elegant gemstones would certainly be an extension of themselves.
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