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Home > Aquamarine > 7 Ways to Tell if aquamarine is Real

7 Ways to Tell if aquamarine is Real

Lab-created aquamarine is still considered genuine aquamarine, sharing identical chemical, physical, and optical properties with natural aquamarine. They are indistinguishable outside laboratories, only discernible by gemologists using specialized equipment. It's important to mention lab-grown aquamarine typically costs much less than natural ones. Materials such as Glass, Cubic Zirconia, Topaz, plastic, and synthetic spinel are sometimes mislabeled as aquamarine. It's wise to purchase from reputable retailers and, if feasible, request a certificate from a gem testing laboratory. Here are some handy tips to help you initially discern the authenticity of aquamarine.

1. Check Crystal Habit

Real Aquamarine often forms in long, hexagonal (six-sided) prisms with flat terminations. Vertical striations may occasionally be observed along the crystal's length.

2. Touch Test

Real: Real Aquamarine feels cold to the touch.
Fake: Plastic-made fakes feel warm to the touch.

3. Check for Bubbles

Upon careful examination of Aquamarine under bright light, if any visible air bubbles are detected within the surface of the gemstone, it is likely a fake.

4. Check Rainbow Effect

Real: Real faceted Aquamarine does not display a rainbow effect.
Fake: When you rotate fake Aquamarine made from faceted cubic zirconia or glass in the light, it may give off a noticeable rainbow of colored light.

5. Hardness Test

Real: Real Aquamarine is harder than glass, making it capable of easily scratching glass. After a period of use, real Aquamarine typically doesn't exhibit noticeable wear.
Fake: Fake Aquamarine made from glass or plastic cannot scratch glass. Over time, these low-hardness imitations will exhibit noticeable wear and gradually lose their original luster.

6. UV Black Light (365nm) Test

Real: When exposed to UV black light in a dark environment, real Aquamarine typically exhibits no fluorescence.
Fake: If an Aquamarine glows under UV black light, it raises suspicions about its authenticity. For instance, cubic zirconia may emit a greenish-yellow to yellow-orange fluorescence under UV black light.

7. Color Filter Test

Real: Real Aquamarine appears green under the Chelsea filter.
Fake: If an Aquamarine remains unchanged or turns a color other than green when observed under a Chelsea filter, it is likely not real. For instance, fake Aquamarine made from synthetic spinel typically appears red under a Chelsea filter.
Aquamarine
Aquamarine
A species of Beryl
Scientific name: Aquamarine
Mineral: Beryl
Description
Description
The pastel blue variation of the mineral beryl, aquamarine is of the same family as emeralds (green) and morganite (pink). Some of the best specimens come from the high mountains of Pakistan. Named for the Latin word for seawater, it was once thought to protect sailors at sea. It is the birthstone for March.
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