Aquamarine – The Gemstone as blue as the sea

Aquamarine is popularly considered the birthstone for the month of March. The word ‘Aquamarine’ was derived from the Greek words ‘aqua’, meaning water, and ‘mare’, meaning the sea. This name is a very apt one considering the fact that the color of aquamarines resembles that of sea water.

This characteristic led ancient Romans to believe that aquamarines were sacred to Neptune, the god of the seas. Roman sailors wore talismans made from aquamarine to protect them from the harsh environment and dangers at sea.

Aquamarine is from the beryl family. That makes it pretty hard and durable and a popular choice for making gemstone jewelry. It is available in a wide array of hues ranging from blue-green to a light sky blue. Large deposits of this gemstone are located worldwide, the largest deposits being found in Brazil. Other countries where they are found include Australia, United States, Africa, China and India.

When you gift someone an aquamarine, it signifies that you care about the safety and security of the recipient. Some people even claim that aquamarines can bring that spark back in a mundane relationship, so it’s not a bad idea to gift one on you anniversary!


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Understanding GIA’s Colored Stone Grading System

The following are the steps taken by trained gemologists to evaluate the tone, hue and saturation of gemstones.

• The stone is first identified and classified according to its gem type.
• The stone is then thoroughly cleaned in order to remove any dirt, dust and grime.
• While holding the stone by its girdle against a neutrally colored background, the gemologist inspects the stone from a comfortable distance by looking at it face-up. The distance is usually about 18 inches.
• A diffused and aylight-equivalent light source is required, which is usually place about 10 inches above the stone.
• Then the gemologist rocks the gemstone back and forth (to an angle of about 30 degrees) while he makes the necessary judgments.

Measuring the tone

The illustration shows the various degrees or levels of gemstone tone. They range form very light (#2) to very dark (#8). The illustration shows that the sample gemstone has a tone that matches #5, which is a medium tone.

Measuring the hue

The adjoining illustration shows how the gemologist determines the hue of the gemstone. The gemstone in the illustration is predominantly green in color, but has a tinge of blue. The gemologist moves the gemstone around in the face-up position. The hue of the stone can be determined from the color seen in bright flashes. If one of the windows of the gemstone is so large that it occupies more than half of the face-up area, then the color exhibited in this window or facet is the dominating color, while the color visible in the brilliance flashes is an additional color.

Measuring the saturation level

As the final step, the gemologist determines the saturation level of the gemstone color. The gemstone is considered to have a vivid saturation if there is no incidence of a grayish or brownish appearance.

Image Source: http://www.awesomegems.com

Registrations for the China International Gold, Jewellery & Gem Fair- Shenzhen are on

For all of you who are in the gemstone trade, this is one event that you shouldn’t miss. The China International Gold, Jewellery and Gem Fair- Shenzhen has been fast growing as one of the most important events on the worldwide jewelry industry calendar.

The city of Shenzhen has been rapidly growing in importance and stature in the world jewelry industry. Due to its close proximity to the important port city of Hong Kong, Shenzhen has been growing in popularity as the destination of choice for hundreds and thousands of jewelry manufacturers. Shenzhen alone accounts for over 70 percent of China’s total jewelry production output and it has gained the moniker of China’s ‘City of Jewelry’.

The previous edition of the popular event, held in 2009, attracted more than 300 exhibitors from Turkey, Thailand, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Korea, the Philippines, Poland, Tahiti, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United States, and it turned out to be a huge success.

The eighth edition of the Shenzhen Fair will be held from 9 - 12 March 2010 at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center.

Source: jewellerynetasia.com