Prized for centuries for its depth, durability, and presence, blue sapphire is one of the most prestigious coloured gemstones in the world and one of the most enduring choices for jewellery built to last a lifetime.
Aquamarine is a member of the beryl group, just like emerald. However, unlike its fellow gemstone, it has greater transparency and clarity, with high-quality stones being completely see-through with no cloudiness. There are some specimens with a slight icy blue hue, while others tend to have a bluish green color.
Aquamarine has a distinct appearance compared to other blue gemstones.
Aquamarine is used extensively in jewellery as it is quite durable for regular wear. This gemstone’s hardness rate falls between 7.5 and 8 on the Mohs scale, which means it can be used for rings, earrings, necklaces, pendants, and bracelets.
Today, most aquamarine gems in jewellery are mined in Brazil, Madagascar, and Nigeria. The higher the clarity of an aquamarine stone and the stronger its color, the higher its value.
Aquamarine rings have a fresh and light appearance and do not carry the weight that some other dark stones have.
While some customers choose a vintage style featuring engraving, a milgrain edge or even filigree, others opt for a simple, elegant design, one which puts the emphasis on the stone. Both designs will work well depending on the type of aquamarine used and its color.
Aquamarine earrings look beautiful worn near the face while adding color without being too heavy or formal. Our aquamarine earrings collection is diverse and includes traditional as well as modern designs with various sizes of stones. Contact us to explore what models of aquamarine earrings are currently available in our collection.
Aquamarine necklaces are admired for their soft blue-green colors and brightness. An aquamarine pendant will bring color and decoration to a jewellery collection.
We have a variety of aquamarine necklaces, ranging from elegant single stone pendants to luxurious cluster pendants.
Contact us for a custom-made aquamarine necklace or pendant.
What every property actually means for the jewellery you wear every day
| Property | Value | What It Means for You |
|---|---|---|
|
Hardness (Mohs) |
7.5–8 |
Very durable and suitable for everyday wear in rings, bracelets, and pendants |
|
Transparency |
Transparent |
Light passes through the stone completely from one side to the other, which is what creates that luminous, glowing quality aquamarine is known for. The cleaner and more transparent the stone, the more light it holds and the more alive it looks when worn |
|
Luster |
Vitreous |
The surface reflects light the way polished glass does, bright, clear, and sharp. This is what gives aquamarine that clean, refreshing appearance that catches the eye even in low light |
The Detail
| Property | Value | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness (Mohs) | 9 | One of the hardest gemstones available, second only to diamond, making it exceptionally suited to daily wear in all jewelry types |
| Mineral Group | Oxide (Corundum family) | Part of the same corundum family as ruby, one of the most prestigious and well studied mineral groups in gemology |
| Primary Sources | Kashmir, Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Australia | Kashmir sapphires are considered the world standard for blue color, Sri Lankan stones are known for their bright cornflower blue, and Australian stones tend toward deep inky tones |
| What Sets It Apart | Hardness, color depth, and prestige | Blue sapphire combines exceptional durability with a depth of color and a cultural significance that few other gemstones can match, it has been the stone of royalty and commitment for centuries |
Lighter aquamarine stones have a subtle icy hue and will suit everyday jewellery designs.
This colour is a popular choice for aquamarines. Gemstones in this category will give off a bright, vivid, and bold blue colour.
The darker aquamarine stones offer a rich blue-green hue with high visibility and are often used in statement pieces.
Colour
Blue sapphire is not a single colour. The range runs from the palest icy blue of a clear winter sky through to the deepest, velvety ink blue of the finest Kashmir and Ceylon stones, and every point on that spectrum creates a completely different effect when the piece is on you. Choosing the right tone is the most important decision you will make in selecting a blue sapphire piece, and it is the question we work through with every client before anything else.
Soft, clear, and ethereal. A light blue sapphire ring has a quality of lightness and calm that makes it one of the most versatile tones in the range. It flatters fair and warm skin tones equally, suits yellow gold as beautifully as it suits platinum, and gives any piece a freshness that deeper tones do not produce. If you want blue that feels refined without feeling heavy, start here.
Vivid, balanced, and consistently beautiful across all lighting conditions. The cornflower blue of a fine Ceylon or Sri Lankan sapphire is the tone most people picture when they imagine the blue sapphire gemstone at its finest. It is bright enough to read clearly at a distance and rich enough to carry presence without tipping into darkness. This is the tone of Princess Diana's engagement ring, now worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Deep, rich, and commanding. Royal blue sits at the most saturated end of the mid-range, producing a blue that reads as undeniably luxurious. It suits platinum and white gold settings that contrast with the depth of the blue, and it particularly suits clients who want their jewellery to carry unmistakeable presence.
A specific rich, ink-blue tone with a slight green undertone that sits between cornflower and the deepest royal blue. London blue sapphire stones have a particular depth that makes them extraordinarily striking in photography and in evening settings. For clients who want a blue that reads as distinctive rather than conventional, London blue sapphire is the tone that delivers it.
Inky, velvety, and deeply luxurious. A dark blue sapphire ring carries a weight of colour that makes it the most dramatic option in the blue sapphire range. It suits white metal settings where the contrast between the dark blue stone and the bright metal is maximised, and it is the choice of clients who want the piece to command attention without any qualification.
Characterised by a deeper, slightly inky blue with strong saturation, Australian blue sapphire from Queensland's Anakie fields and the New South Wales sapphire regions has a distinct character that sets it apart from Sri Lankan, Burmese, and Montana material. For clients who want a stone with Australian provenance and a colour that reflects it, our team sources Australian blue sapphire specifically on request.
Blue sapphire is a stone where the difference between a mediocre example and an exceptional one is enormous, and where the tone, the origin, the treatment status, and the cut all contribute significantly to what you are actually getting for your money. At Coloured Gemstones Australia, every blue sapphire in our collection has been assessed in person by our team before it is offered for sale. We evaluate colour, tone consistency, treatment status, clarity, and how each stone performs across different lighting conditions, because a blue sapphire chosen well is a stone that will be worn and admired across generations.
Good to Know
Blue sapphire is corundum, the same mineral species as ruby, coloured by iron and titanium within the crystal structure. What distinguishes it from blue topaz, aquamarine, tanzanite, and other blue stones is the combination of colour depth, durability, and brilliance. At 9 on the Mohs scale, sapphire is the hardest coloured gemstone available for jewellery, making it uniquely suited to rings and daily wear pieces. Its colour has a depth and a richness that lighter or softer blue stones cannot match, and it holds that colour consistently across all lighting conditions.
The majority of blue sapphires on the market, estimated at over 90 percent, have been heat-treated to improve colour and clarity. Heat treatment is a permanent, stable, and universally accepted industry practice that does not affect the beauty or long-term durability of the stone. Unheated blue sapphires of fine colour are significantly rarer and command a substantial price premium. We disclose treatment status on every stone we sell and can provide laboratory certification confirming treatment history on request. If an unheated stone is important to you, tell us, and we will source accordingly.
The tone of a blue sapphire determines the entire character of the piece. A light blue sapphire ring feels soft, ethereal, and versatile, suiting a wide range of skin tones, metals, and occasions. A dark blue sapphire ring reads as deeply luxurious, commanding, and formal, and suits white metal settings where the contrast between the dark stone and the bright metal is maximised. Neither tone is superior to the other. The right choice depends on how you want the piece to feel when you are wearing it and the occasions you intend to wear it for.
Australian blue sapphire comes primarily from Queensland and New South Wales and is characterised by a deep, rich, slightly inky blue with strong saturation. It tends toward the deeper end of the tone range compared to the more vivid, lighter cornflower blue of fine Ceylon material or the intense royal blue of top Burmese sapphires. Australian sapphire has its own distinct character and a long mining history, and it is an excellent choice for clients who want local provenance and a deep, saturated blue. We source Australian blue sapphire specifically on request and can advise on the regional differences in colour and character.
The most important factor is tone. Decide how you want the piece to feel: soft and ethereal, vividly blue, deeply luxurious, or something in between. From there, the setting style and metal choice follow naturally from the tone of the stone. We work through all of these decisions with each client before recommending a stone, and we always assess how the stone performs across different lighting conditions rather than only under ideal showroom conditions. Enquire to begin the conversation and we will guide you through the full selection process.
Aquamarine is actually a member of the beryl family which includes emerald and morganite. The blue-green color of aquamarine is due to small amounts of iron within its molecular structure, while the natural transparency of the stone creates exceptional sparkle and shine in the finished piece of jewelry. It’s a reliable gemstone that retains its beauty in every light.