Bangkok—Following its launch of grading stories for “jedi” spinel, the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS) has completed the identical for a particular aquamarine commerce identify.

The institute has rolled out a colour code for the “Santa Maria” label in addition to grading stories.

“Santa Maria” originated from the colour of aquamarine that got here from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

The mine produced aquamarine thought-about to be among the many greatest when it comes to colour—a saturated blue—however is now nearly depleted.

Some within the commerce now discuss with stones with such colour as “Santa Maria,” no matter their origin.

To outline which stones ought to obtain such a label, AIGS created a “Santa Maria” colour code, which defines in response to colour—hue, saturation, and tone—and even readability. It doesn’t outline by geographic origin.

See: The AIGS “Santa Maria” Report and Colour Code 

The Institute stated its colour code applies the identify “Santa Maria” to the aquamarine number of beryl that has blue colour and medium saturation with out brown or yellow tints. 

These with low saturation, low readability, and darkish tones don’t meet the factors to be referred to as Santa Maria, it added. Neither does aquamarine with low readability. 

For those who do have all the best standards, AIGS will point out the stone qualifies as a “Santa Maria” kind of aquamarine in its gemstone identification stories. 

“The launch of the Santa Maria colour code is yet one more essential initiative after launching our Jedi spinel stories final October,” stated Kennedy Ho, Chairman of AIGS.

“Commerce names akin to pigeon blood and royal blue have been used for hundreds of years by gem merchants to explain ideally suited colours implying worth and rarity. But these commerce names are sometimes ambiguous with definitions various between consumers and sellers alike. By reworking commerce names into an business commonplace by stories graded by third-party objectivity, AIGS goals to cut back such ambiguity.”