March’s aptly titled birthstone, aquamarine, grows in gorgeous crystals and sparkles like the ocean on a sun-kissed day. But do you know what to look for when shopping for aquamarine?

This month’s Aquamarine Buying Guide is all about aquamarine with fun facts, practical tips, and answers to frequently asked questions. Enjoy, and don’t forget to pass it along to your fellow gemstone lovers!

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Think of every passing year as an opportunity to celebrate with your birthstone. In fact, people have been wearing birthstone jewelry since the 15^th century in Poland, when they were encouraged to own all 12. And while birthstone secrets and lore can be found right here on our blog, today we share what makes YOUR birthstone a powerful statement of your finest qualities.

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Our favorite leading ladies stepped onto the red carpet in vibrantly colored gowns bedecked with glittering jewels for this year’s 85th Academy Awards. Yesterday, we covered breathtaking blue gemstones, which enhanced bold sapphire-colored gowns worn by celebrities such as Lilly Collins and Jennifer Hudson. Today, we’ve compiled a list of colored gemstones in celebration of the glamorous demonstrations of color Oscars fashion has inspired.

Carmen Electra wearing Sutra Ruby and Diamond Earrings.

A perennial Oscars favorite, bold crimson hues were donned by Jennifer Aniston, Sally Field and Olivia Munn, just to name a few. GIA experts have selected some stunning red gemstones that could have elegantly amplified their ensembles.

Ruby

Fun fact: The color must be neither too dark nor too light to be considered finest quality. If the color is too dark it has a negative effect on the stone’s brightness. At the other extreme, if the color is too light, the stone is considered pink sapphire, even if color strength or intensity is high.

Ruby is the most valuable variety of the corundum mineral species and can command the highest per-carat price of any colored stone. Corundum has excellent toughness, and is harder than any other natural gem except diamond.  Color is the most significant factor affecting a ruby’s value. The finest ruby has a pure, vibrant red to slightly purplish-red color, and vivid color saturation.

Dona Dirlam, Director of GIA’s Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library and Information Center expresses her admiration for red gem varieties. “The world of red gems is fascinating, and each stone tells its own story. Ruby – the king of red gems – will always be a classic choice, while red garnet offers a durable alternative that is great for everyday wear.”

Red Garnet

Because rough is plentiful, rhodolite is often cut by designer lapidaries into buff tops and free-form cuts with curved surfaces instead of facets.

Garnets are a set of closely related minerals that form a group, resulting in gemstones in almost every color, although red garnets are the most well-known. Rhodolite is the most valuable of the red garnets, and ranges from a dark, purplish raspberry red to a light reddish purple. In the best gems, the tone is medium to medium dark. Pyrope and almandite combine to form rhodolite and other red garnet varieties, but can also exist as separate species. Although both pyrope and almandite were important as gems in the past, mixtures of these two garnet species fill the red garnet marketplace today. Garnets are often remarkably free of inclusions that might reduce clarity and brilliance.

According to fashion reports, a pastel palette took the Oscar for red carpet fashion this year. Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence all wore stunning gowns in muted pastel shades, sure to spark Spring fashion trends moving forward. Commenting on the trend is no less an authority than GIA’s museum curator, Terri Ottaway.

“Pastel-colored gems such as aquamarine and morganite – both varieties of beryl – are a great way to lighten up a spring wardrobe. They’re popular gems and can really make a fashion statement.”

Below are some spectacular pastel-colored gemstones selected by GIA to pair with your favorite spring pieces.

Aquamarine

Fun fact: Aquamarine’s blue colors are reflected in its name, which comes from the Latin for “sea water.”

Aquamarine is the green-blue to blue variety of the mineral beryl. Its color is usually a light pastel greenish blue. The color of untreated aquamarine is often strongly greenish; heat treatment usually gives it a more bluish appearance. Aquamarine crystals are known to be large in size and relatively clean and well-formed, making them particularly valuable to collectors of mineral specimens.

Morganite

Fun fact: George Kunz, then-Tiffany’s colored stone specialist and a noted gem scholar, named the discovery after J.P. Morgan, an American banker and gem enthusiast.

Pink beryl is known as morganite in the gem trade, or even “pink emerald,” although many in the trade consider the latter term to be misleading. The gem was first discovered in Madagascar in 1911. Strong hues in morganite are rare, and gems usually have to be fairly large to achieve the finest color. Morganite’s color range includes pink, rose, peach and salmon. The gem is almost always heat-treated to improve the pink color. The resulting color is stable and won’t fade.

Which is your favorite red carpet-worthy gemstone option for Spring?

The post Colored Gems at the Oscars: Part 2 appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

As its namesake suggests, the cool blue hues of March’s captivating gemstone are reminiscent of a tranquil sea. Aquamarine crystals can grow in large sizes with excellent clarity.

In his book, Gemstones, gemologist Edward Gübelin writes lyrically about the lore surrounding this beautiful blue gem: “The aquamarine or sea-blue remains permanently associated with water in myths: it accompanies seafarers and ensures them a safe return home; and round the ship of marital fortune, it weaves ribbons of faithfulness. The aquamarine is the gemstone of all young people and all those who have remained young at heart. It takes particular care of those born in March.”

“The Schlumberger Bow” a 148.5-carat aquamarine pin. (Image courtesy of The Field Museum.)

This gemstone is a member of the mineral species beryl . Chemically pure beryl is colorless, but trace elements give rise to green, blue and pink/red colors. Aquamarines are usually a pastel blue, though the darker the hue, the more valuable the gem is.

Aquamarines from Afghanistan

Oval and emerald cuts often enhance an aquamarine’s color and clarity. This gemstone is durable, and can be a perfect gemstone for everyday wear, with a hardness of 7.5 on the Mohs scale. Aquamarines are easy to care for; ultrasonic and steam cleaning are usually safe options as long as there are no feathers or liquid inclusions.  Simply using warm water, a mild dish soap and a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dust can collect will generally keep your aquamarine lustrous.

Do you own an aquamarine? Tell us all about it!

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Aquamarine, the March birthstone, evokes the colors of the sea. From deep green-blue hues to light, slightly greenish-blue, they are often free from inclusions and as clear as water, symbolizing purity of spirit and soul.

Aquamarine is said to be treasured by mermaids and to keep sailors safe at sea.

March’s birthstone can grow quite large, allowing a gem cutter to fashion sizeable gems that will ultimately be made into stunning pieces of jewelry.

This 1,350-carat rough aquamarine and diamond necklace recalls the flight of a Macaw, reflected in the Amazon River.

Aquamarines make fantastic gemstones for evening wear jewelry because they glitter and gleam even under muted light conditions. It’s also the gemstone that’s thought to represent unity.

Aquamarine, March’s birthstone, shines in colors pale to medium blue, often with a greenish hue.

Check out aquamarine in the GIA Celebrates Birthstones exhibit at the GIA Carlsbad campus. Schedule a free tour 24 hours in advance by contacting guestservices@gia.edu; calling 800-421-7250, ext. 4116 or 760-603-4116; or visiting www.gia.edu.

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