Something New Under the Sun

 

Turns out there is something new under the sun. Well, actually, its discovery is the new part. This gemmy material has been there all along.

Collectors love blue. They love green. They sure enough love rare, and they love stones with variegated areas of color veining. Let's look at Aquaprase. Gemologist-explorer Yianni Melas found the interesting rocks in Africa about a decade or so back. At first it was suspected to be a chrysoprase, or even an unusual opal type.

LAB RESULTS

Eventually, the labs at GIA tested it and determined this was a completely new gemstone. The conclusion was that the appealing material is a previously undiscovered variety of chalcedony quartz.

Le Vian rose gold and Peacock Aquaprase pendant earrings

This is good news for designers whose clientele demand undiscovered gems and that are also rare to boot. The exact location of this material, Melas says will remain anonymous.

ADORED AT TUCSON

But when innovative designers caught wind of it in Tucson's gem shows, they took an immediate liking to it. Some of the material (depending on where it was cut from the rough) exhibits an ethereal sea-foam hue. Other pieces display unique patterns of veining which enhances the overall design of the jewelry. 

Either way, collectors have something new to drool over when making their wish list.

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