Questionhi there,
the main stone of my e-ring is a 2.85 ct cushion cut aquamarine -- stunning in all aspects but it requires a lot of cleaning to look it's sparkley best...i don't wear it to do dishes, apply lotion etc but i still find that if i don't clean it daily it gets cloudy. that said, i adore it as is and don't know if i ever actually could change the stone (it has so much sentimental vaule) but i'm just curious, i guess...
in the event that i were to look at a natural sapphire would you imagine that i'd have the same experience with regards to the need for regular cleaning?
my other question is in regards to resetting...my current stone is approx 7 x 8 mm. would the replacement stone need to be the same size or could the setting be altered to suit the new stone? or would this depend on the setting?
thanking you in advance!
AnswerHI Eloise,
I'm afraid there is no cut and dry answers to your questions, as they are dependent upon many factors. All faceted gemstones sparkle will be diminished by the slightest amount of surface oils and dirt. Even a diamond will be noticeably different if it is cleaned daily, however, there are several other factors to consider. First of all, an aquamarine is a softer, less durable stone for daily wear. It is possible that you have small surface abrasions on the stone that are hard to see without magnification, but that are adding to your foggy appearance. Surface abrasions are more easily seen once the stone gets a little dirty, also.
How quickly your stone shows dirt is also dependent on the faceting structure of the cut. A stone with lots of facets and well cut to reflect the light, will hide dirt buildup better than a stone with less facets. The refractive index of a sapphire versus an aquamarine are not that far from one another, so the only advantages to a sapphire would be if you got a more faceted, brighter cut, and that a sapphire is much harder and more durable against scratching & chipping for every day wear.
I caution you, also, to be sure to use a gentle, non ammonia, based cleaner on your aqua and do not soak it in the cleaner as sometimes aquas can fog from being soaked in cleaners that are too harsh. Just dip, brush, rinse and dry.
As far as the size and the mounting goes, yes, it would depend on the mounting itself and how the stone is set as to wether another size/shape stone could be worked into it. Sapphires, however, are very accessible in just about any shape, size and color that you could want, so I'm sure something could be found that would work as a replacement should you decide to make the change.
I hope this answers all of your questions. I commend you for keeping your jewelry clean! I have many customers that let months of buildup gather and then bring it in for a professional clean and check and it takes hours of soaking in a sonic cleaner to get it clean. I can never understand how they can let their jewelry get so filthy. I like my gems to sparkle, too!
Please let me know if I've left anything unanswered for you.
