Fine Coloured Stones
Aquamarines
Blue · Greenish Blue · Pale Blue
Varieties
How aquamarines are categorised
Trade categories rather than gemological ones — these are the terms a requirement is normally written in.
- Blue Aquamarine
- The commercial standard; pale to medium blue.
- Santa Maria-type
- A trade colour description for deeper, more saturated blue.
- Cabochon & Beads
- For strands, drops and softer design work.
Aquamarines in detail
Clarity, size and cut
Eye-clean is the normal expectation in aquamarine rather than a premium specification, which is the reverse of most coloured stones. If a stone is visibly included, that is unusual enough to be worth asking about.
The species is available in sizes that are impractical in corundum. Large statement stones of 10 ct and well above are a normal part of the market rather than a rarity.
Because the colour is light, cut matters more than usual — a shallow stone will look almost colourless face-up. Deeper pavilions and larger sizes both help the colour read.
Calibrated supply
Aquamarine calibrates well and is widely available in standard millimetre sizes, making it straightforward for repeat production. Emerald-cut and oval outlines have the best availability.
For a repeating programme, specify the colour band as well as the dimensions. Pale and medium blue sit far enough apart to be visible side by side in a finished collection.
Treatment
Heat treatment to remove greenish and yellowish secondary colour is standard and near-universal in commercial aquamarine, and it is stable and permanent. Untreated material with natural blue-green colour exists and is sought by some buyers specifically for that colour. We record what is stated for each stone.
This describes the market for the species. It is not a statement about any individual stone — disclosure for a specific stone comes from that stone’s own record and documentation. More on laboratory reports.
Buyer questions
Buying aquamarines
- Do you supply aquamarine in calibrated sizes?
- Yes. Aquamarine is one of the more reliable species for calibrated and repeat supply. Send dimensions, shape, quantity and colour band.
- Is all aquamarine heated?
- Most commercial material is, to remove green and yellow tints. It is stable, permanent and standard trade practice. Unheated blue-green material is a separate and deliberate choice for some buyers.
- What size is realistic for a statement centre stone?
- Considerably larger than in most species. Clean material well into double-digit carats is a normal part of the aquamarine market rather than an exceptional request.