As the birthstone for March (and associated with the 19th wedding anniversary) aquamarine is one of the most often maligned gemstones of the age. Most people, if theyve seen the stone at all, have been presented with specimens that are so washed out they retain nothing of the proper color associated with the aquamarine gemstone.

Fine quality aquamarine comes from nature in colors from blue-green to a light sky blue: nothing colorless or washed out - these stones are supposed to look blue… Whats unique about aquamarine, is that the majority of these seawater blue stones are flawless: the perfect centerpiece for a fine piece of aquamarine jewelry

As the second most well known beryl (after emerald), aquamarine was once credited with protecting against poison, sailors carried and slept with the incredible colored gemstones to ensure a safe voyage. Today a gift of fine quality aquamarine jewelry can symbolize safety and security: especially in long term relationships. Some say it may even re-ignite love in a marriage.

So what piece of aquamarine jewelry to choose?

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Long before Prince Charles gave Lady Diana that stunning sapphire engagement ring there were pieces of fine colored gemstone jewelry made to showcase this most precious of gems. September babies, those born under the zodiac sign Taurus (or those celebrating a 45th wedding anniversary) have long laid claim to blue sapphire as their own, prompting jewelry designers to create many distinctive styles that feature the full range of sapphire hues.

Still theres something about that blue that remains unmatched…

Todays sapphire earring styles run the gamut from casual to dazzling and drop dead gorgeous. Sapphire rings are an especially popular choice (even for engagement rings) since the gemstone is both beautiful and durable. Sapphire at the neckline continues to be popular, but the quality of the gemstone is king here: accent stones too must be a match to the quality of the center stone.

One of the most intriguing types of sapphire is the so called star sapphire. This type of sapphire is blessed with the rare characteristic of asterism caused by tiny quantities of rutile inclusions. These inclusions reflect light back in the form of a six-rayed star that looks as though it glides across the face of the gemstone. The effect is both striking and offers a special significance to the gift of these gemstones - shes your shining star.

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This is the Burma spinel I got from AJS Gems under darkroom illumination with my LED light source from my microscope, and a portable blacklight for a UV-A light source.

You can see how the stone appears naturally before turning the UV light on. Then you can see how it turns to a brown color as if it were absorbing the light. When the light goes off, it’s a dark brown color. However, it does gradually obtain its color back in time. There is no sign of phosfluorescence, and there is a total lack of fluorescence thus indicating it is a Burma spinel.

The orangey red variety from Mogok mine has a very high absorption rate within a window of the latter range of IUV to the lower end of VIS. I obtained a general graph of how spinels of different colors from Mogok behave under IR spectroscopy, and the graph shows the absorption rate of spectra within the lamp as being highest. A vivid red spinel is slightly less. There was no information available for spinels from Tanzania, but it’s a tell tale indicator of origin.

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Perhaps because fine gemstone jewelry can be quite an investment, from selecting the perfect color and cut of the loose gemstone to finding the right metal and setting to house the colored stone to choosing the accents, it is no wonder so many people think there are “rules” to wearing fine gemstone jewelry. Do you have to save these pieces for just “special” occasions? Can you mix different color metals? How many rings are too many?

Lets take these one at a time:

Arent you supposed to save your colored gemstone jewelry for special occasions? No way! If the piece is very ornate (large and dripping in diamonds) or costly you might want to hold off wearing it until that special event: but otherwise your gemstone jewelry is meant to be worn, and enjoyed: and will look great even with a t-shirt and jeans. Burma rubies, sapphires, and stones like aquamarine, spinel, demantoid garnet, alexandrite and the range of beautiful tourmaline are all durable enough to wear every single day. The only time you might take off your pieces is when youre doing heavy yard work, painting, working with harsh chemicals, or doing other tasks of the sort.

Are colored gemstones acceptable for use in engagement rings? Absolutely! Many women through the ages (royalty, the incredibly wealthy and just regular folks as well) have chosen a colored gemstone as the centerpiece in the ring theyll wear for the rest of their lives. This trend is increasingly popular, with rubies and sapphires leading the way: but with so many other rich and beautiful gemstones, theres no limit to the color you can choose and the ring you can create - a piece as unique and beautiful as your love.

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Choosing a loose colored gemstone to be a part of your jewelry wardrobe is a smart move: and it gives you plenty of options in terms of colors, shapes and sizes. Of course stunning gemstone jewelry isnt the only way to enjoy fine quality gems. Often collectors purchase and display beautiful specimens as part of an extensive gem collection that can also be admired and appreciated.

Whether youd like to wear or just admire a gemstone, buying loose stones is an increasingly popular, and very smart, way to buy. Heres why:

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This is a service to all the jewelry-loving women out there, whose significant other has no clue about how to choose the right jewelry for her. The holidays are almost upon us, and many men will be agonizing over just what to get. When it comes to jewelry giving, there are lots of options:an endless number of stunningly colored gemstones: different metals and accent stones: its hard to know what to choose or where to start.

Buying the right colored gemstone piece for the woman in your life isnt hard: if you think about each of the types of jewelry you can design with her in mind…

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though diamonds are thought to be a girls best friend: lots of smart, savvy, style conscious women today are expanding their circle of friends to include the rainbow hues of natural colored gemstones. A bit unexpected: a quality colored gem stone will command attention from everyone who sees it. Whether its in a ring, a bracelet, a pendant or a magnificent pair of earrings: that rich, vibrant color catches the eye and wont let go.

When it comes to buying quality natural gems like amethysts, rubies, sapphires, Tsavorite garnet and the many colors of tourmaline you need to look no further than those four Cs youve always heard about - cut, clarity, color and carat weight. These measures of quality will help guide your purchase, though color is by far the most important of the four when buying a colored gemstone. Whatever shade youre choosing: you want color that is rich and vibrant: evenly distributed through the gem.

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