Aquamarine Shopping Guide
Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers has created an Aquamarine Shopping Guide, highly appropriate given our relationship to Lake Michigan. Aquamarine gemstones were believed to keep sailors safe by calming the sea. The beautiful light blue to bluish-green hues of the stone, whose name in Latin literally translates to “water of the sea” truly draws its inspiration from the sea, which makes it one of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers’ favorite gemstone. As the birthstone of March, ancient folklore states the wearers are unconquerable, amiable and intellectually enhanced when wearing aquamarine jewelry. Fun fact, aquamarines is a colored variety of the mineral beryl, like emeralds.
Aquamarine Shopping Guide – 4 C’s
The GIA grades aquamarines on the Four C’s, like almost all semi-precious and precious gemstones.
COLOR: Unlike many birthstones, gemologists have determined the color range of aquamarines to be fairly narrow, ranging from an intense blue to a green-blue. However, many aquamarine stones fall in the light greenish blue range. It is important to note, “smaller, top-color stones might sell for more per carat than larger stones of the same color” (GIA).
CLARITY: It is very important for aquamarines to be eye-clean, that is, free from eye visible inclusions and surface level blemishes.
CUT: Due to the size of aquamarines, it is common to see them fashioned in designer cuts or even carved. The most common cuts are emerald, round or oval.
CARAT-WEIGHT: Gemologist have discovered aquamarines as huge crystals. In fact, the largest aquamarine recovered by miners was 244lbs and measured 19 inches long and 15 inches in diameter. Despite these large sizes, the large stones are rarely usable for jewelry.
Stop by Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers to shop beautiful aquamarine jewelry. Perfect for a 19th wedding anniversary or March birthday!
