The quality of cut in an aquamarine can make the difference between an average gemstone and an excellent gemstone. Esthetic value is affected by the quality of cut because the better the cut, the more reflection and sparkle the gem will give.
However, whether an aquamarine gets a perfect cut or not is usually a financial decision: the perfect cut usually means more of the gemstone is cut away and therefore has less carat weight. However, since large gem quality peices of aquamarine are relatively available, it is not very difficult to find peices with perfect cuts.
Here is what to look for:
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| Bad Cut: This aquamarine has been given an uneven cut with the facets at inproper angles This results in reduced sparkle and light leaking through the bottom of the stone. | Poor Cut: The cut of this aquamarine is more even than the previous one, though the facets are still a bit irregular. It also leaks light through the bottom of the gemstone rather than reflecting it back to the eyes. | Ok Cut: This aquamarine has a perfectly even and symmetrical cut. However, since we are able to see through the stone, we know it has not been cut at proper angles. The result is less sparkle, as with th previous 2 stones. | Perfect Cut: Here we see a perfectly cut aquamarine. Every facet is even and symmetrical. Most importantly, we see a sparkle from all parts of the gemstone. This is what to look for. |
