NEW YORK — The birthstone of March, the aquamarine, is well named, drawn from the Latin words for water, aqua, and the sea, marina. The gemstone’s coloration, which can range from the palest blue to a dark blue, certainly evokes the colors of the sea. Aquamarines are popular in jewelry and can be cut into a variety of shapes. Emerald, round or brilliant cuts are most commonly used to bring out the stone’s beauty.
According to the Gemological Institute of America, the color of a genuine natural aquamarine ranges from blue to blue-green. The amount of green can vary from light to dark, with most stones appearing to have a light green-blue coloring. “In general, the purer and more intense the blue color, the more valuable the stone,” the institute’s website states.
Because some people prefer a darker hue in their aquamarines, treating the stones with heat to achieve the desired appearance has become a common practice. It is also frequently done to reduce waste from already-mined stones that otherwise might be dismissed as inferior for being too pale. The value of smaller gemstones is not overly affected by such treatment. Buyers interested in larger stones should seek an appraisal from a gemologist to determine if an aquamarine is natural or not. Many auction listings will prominently note when a large center stone has been treated or is natural, as evidenced by the lot listing for a natural 3.48-carat aquamarine and diamond ring in 14K white gold that sold for $710,900 plus the buyer’s premium in September 2021 at World Jewelry Auctions.
Aquamarine pieces appear in many jewelry collections, and these statement jewels have had their share of red carpet moments on the fingers, wrists, necks and earlobes of actresses and royals. Perhaps the most famous piece is the custom aquamarine ring Princess Diana bought from the English jeweler Asprey. She commissioned it in the summer of 1996, shortly after separating from Prince Charles. Prince Harry later gave his bride his mother’s ring. Interestingly, the ring was set in yellow gold; the piece was made to accompany an aquamarine bracelet in Diana’s collection that was also set in yellow gold.
Princess Diana’s ring is something of an exception, however. Most aquamarines are set in white gold, platinum or titanium to accentuate the cool hue of the stone. An 18K white gold aquamarine and diamond necklace by Cartier reflects a more typical design approach. The necklace has a teardrop-shaped aquamarine totaling nearly 70 carats that is further accented by different gemstones placed all along the chain. It earned $140,000 plus the buyer’s premium in July 2020 at GWS Auctions, and its gemstone report notes that the center stone shows “no indications of thermal enhancement.”
In jewelry, statement pieces such as the Cartier necklace have their place, but the quality of a gemstone and its cut are the most important considerations, outweighing size. The best of these stones typically have a fine blue color, crisp transparency and are free from inclusions. Providing proof that bigger is not always better is a padlock-form necklace in 14K rose gold that attained $511,000 plus the buyer’s premium at 3 Kings Auction in September 2021. The piece is not centered by a large pendant but instead has five rows of small aquamarines, collectively weighing slightly more than a third of a carat.
Also affecting value is the date when the jewelry was made, with antique and vintage pieces sparking great interest. The Art Deco era was a particularly heady time for aquamarine jewelry. A circa-1940 pair of aquamarine and diamond clip brooches signed by Cartier realized $80,407 plus the buyer’s premium in April 2020 at Elmwood’s. The brooches are very similar in their styling to a pair owned by Queen Elizabeth II, which she wore in photos released in February 2022 to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee.
Several of the world’s leading jewelry firms and designers have worked extensively with aquamarines, including David Webb, who is perhaps best known for his enameled animal bracelets. A platinum and 18K yellow gold cuff bracelet by Webb features his signature medium, white enamel, but it is centered with a 90-carat rectangular-cut aquamarine flanked by diamonds. The striking bracelet brought $220,000 plus the buyer’s premium in January 2022 at Joshua Kodner.
With hues so vivid the stone can look as if a wizard froze drops of water from the Caribbean and nested it in a jewelry setting, the aquamarine has won hordes of fans. The gem is too beautiful and delightful to cede exclusively to those born in March. Find your favorite piece of aquamarine jewelry and don it with pride.