Aquaprase – A New Gem?
Some of our newest Le Vian pieces feature a gorgeous, unique gemstone known as Aquaprase—have you ever heard of it? If not, you’re certainly not alone! In fact, Aquaprase has only been on the market for a few years now, and many people have yet to come across it. This stone has a really cool story behind it, and we think it’s worth sharing!
It all started in 2013, when an unusual blue-green stone was discovered by a veteran gem explorer named Yianni Melas. He was certain he had found something new, but controversy ensued as he tried to prove it. After all, the earth has been mined for centuries; most people doubted there could possibly be anything left to discover. Some tried to convince him that he had simply found opal, but he didn’t think it really looked like opal. Others were sure it was chrysoprase (a yellow-green variety of chalcedony), but the stone he found was clearly blue-green.
Raw Aquaprase from Africa - Photo by Yianni Melas
Initial lab reports said the stone was indeed chrysoprase, but Melas was still not convinced. Certain that the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) could figure it out once and for all, he sent it off to them for analysis. After many months of careful inspection and testing, the GIA verdict came back: it wasn’t chrysoprase afterall—it was a new type of chalcedony! Finally vindicated, Melas dubbed the stone Aquaprase, meaning blue-green in his native Greek.
Ever since, Melas has been devoted to bringing Aquaprase to the marketplace while also ensuring that it’s mined ethically and responsibly. One of the cool things about Aquaprase is that the stone undergoes very minimal processing before being set into a piece of jewelry. Most popular gemstones—like sapphires, rubies and emeralds—are often heat-treated, oiled, dyed, and/or stabilized before being sold. Not so with Aquaprase! It’s about as natural as a gemstone can be, yet it’s strong, durable, and its captivating color never fades!
Take a look at more of our Le Vian Aquaprase pieces in-store to see this new fascinating gemstone in person! We think you’ll love it as much as we do!
