COLOREDGEMSTONE A STONE of MANY LUES Aquamarine, a beloved Bmember of the family of minerals, has been the eye-catching centerpiece in jewelry for ages. BY DIANA JARRETT

lue is a universally favored color for both men and women,and the variety of blues found in aquamarine often become in themselves the designer’s muse. Incidentally, this perennial darling is also the March . inclusions, resulting in asterism or the cat’s-eye effect. What is not so well known,however,is that aqua- Another impressive natural occurrence is the rare marine can also be semi-opaque or possess particular appearance of bicolor aquamarine, which develops together in the rough with yellow beryl.Pegmatite Above: Rough aquamarine in 18-karat yellow with and chocolate accents is part of a set that also includes a veins in Tajikistan occasionally produce this attractive and . Courtesy Robert Wander for Winc Creations. aquamarine-yellow beryl variation.

Rapaport Diamond Report May 2, 2008 213 COLOR OF THE SEA relatively free from eye-visible Aquamarine is a inclusions. The decision to self-descriptive name heat-treat natural aquamarine to literally meaning “sea eliminate a greenish tone in the stone water” in Latin.And and to produce a straight,darker blue since the blue hues found definitely presents a dilemma.The result- in seas across the globe ing may now have the preferred differ so much in color,this blue tint, but that gemstone will not be name fits the stone perfectly.Owing to countless, subtle “natural.”That, in turn, becomes a debatable nuances,this gem appears in light values of greenish-Blue, trade-off in the opinion of many dealers. and Blue-Green, all the way down to intensely saturated As consumer awareness of colored stone straight Blue,which is often the most desirable.The num- treatment grows, the appeal of ber of atoms and density of iron present at the molecular verifiably untreated gems is level determine the various shades of color. certainly gaining ground. The chemical makeup for aquamarine isAl2Be3Si6O18. Marty Dike, owner of It is an aluminum beryllium silicate and,like other members Forever ,shopped of the beryl group,it is doubly refractive.The pleochroism for quality aquamarine at observed through a dichroscope reveals two distinct colors, GemFair™ 2008. Like and is more noticeable in lighter-toned specimens. other discerning deal- Commercially,Brazil is a major producer of aquamarine. ers, Dike prefers the However,the gemstones also are mined in Mozambique, Sierra Santa Maria Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mines material from Superb Brazilian material coming from the famed Santa Brazil. He located Maria de Itabira mine has become synonymous with unheated, full-bod- top-grade aquamarine for its transparency and its intense ied, dark “electric” blue color. Now other regions are blue aquamarine with piggy-backing on that celebrated superb German caliber faceting, name to draw attention to the sim- wholesaling at $200 and up per . ilarity in color and clarity of their However, similar stones that looked fine under the gems to the celebrated Brazilian show floor lighting revealed a decidedly grayish cast goods. In Africa, for example, to their body color when inspected in the more unfor- in Mozambique, the name giving daylight. Furthermore, louping these stones “SantaMariaAfricana”isbeing exposed inclusions that made their $100-plus per carat attached to aquamarine that wholesale price more understandable. has the sought-after traits of transparency and rich coloration. This page, top left: 13.60-carat cut Brazilian aquamarine pendant set in 18-karat yellow gold. Courtesy Thomas Turner Jewelry; left: 30-carat cut aquamarine ring in 18-karat white gold. Photo courtesy Nadine TREATMENT Krakov Collection; above: 21.73-carat emerald cut aquamarine necklace on a To the delight of string of . Photo courtesy S.H. Company. Opposite page: jewelry lovers, much of Aquamarine earrings in 18-karat yellow gold, accented with chocolate diamonds, are from the Angkor Collection and are part of a set that also today’s gem-quality rough is includes a necklace. Courtesy Robert Wander for Winc Creations.

214 Rapaport Diamond Report May 2, 2008 DESIGNER aquamarine rough on the ATTRACTION AGTA GemFair trading The attraction to floor, making one wonder just top-notch aquama- what ingenious designs he has rine is not a new earmarked for that particular parcel. preoccupation. For Wander is candid about his attraction to aquamarine years, venerable jewelry rough crystals.“I used the rough cut aqua initially because houses bearing iconic it was more interesting.Wenotice in Hawaii that aquama- family names, including rine does sell a little better than other colored stones, Bulgari, Cartier and due to the blueness of the ocean all around us.”The Tiffany,have used exceptional designer has begun introducing very specimens of aquamarine to create lush fine, spear-shaped beryl into his latest one-of-a-kind jewelry around that gemstone. work, naming this new collection The Nadine Krakov Collection offers rare estate Stiletto.According to Wander, jewelry and valuable antiquities from around “The stone and its cut and clarity the world. Owner Nadine Krakov carefully are what inspire me,not necessarily selects unique pieces for a loyal following who my surroundings.” are willing to wait for the best to become -winning designerThomas available.When asked about the appeal of Turner artfully intertwines unex- aquamarine to her clientele, Krakov reflects, pected elements into his unique “They love the color of the stone because they collection.“Well-known faceted gems find it reminds them of the ocean,very serene that are also found to be opaque lend and peaceful. Aquamarine is classy.” For themselves to cabochon cuts. I love Krakov,the most important characteristic working with them, especially aqua- in any of her aquamarine jewelry is marines. I frequently hear ‘That’s an excellent transparency and a rich aquamarine?’when surprised cus- blue-green color. tomers encounter aquamarine Honolulu resident and designer in my jewelry. My RobertWander frequently chooses aqua comes from Brazil,but also aquamarine for his original jewelry from Mozambique — and it is suites.They’re a perfect fit for his chosen for its deep color.”Turner brand, which often showcases color- also sees a paradigm shift stir- ful gem varieties in their original ring.“The price of deep-toned crystal rough shape.The effect is so dra- varieties and,in fact,all aqua- matic that these pieces are collectively named marine is rising as the public the Crystal Candy Collection;the look of the rough becomes more aware of what this gemstones could double as crystallized rock sugar. stone can be,in its many forms and Wander’s successful use of aquamarine rough in its orig- colors.” In the past,Turner felt that the inal hexagonal form for men’s garnered much majority of consumers regarded aquamarine as attention, and won him an Honorable Mention-Men’s “light and glassy.”That mind-set is being reevaluated Wear recognition at the 2008AGTA SpectrumAwards™. by designers,who now have access to high-quality rough Wander was observed carrying a fistful of similarly shaped available from new finds in existing mines.!

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