Aquamarine Grades, Specifications and Trading Locations

Listed aquamarine markets

Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.

SymbolGradeDelivery pointState

AQUAMARINE.ROUGH.PK-GBRough aquamarine crystalPakistanTwo-way, quoted on request

Grades

Aquamarine is bought on colour first, then on clarity and on what the crystal will yield. The rough is sold as crystals, as preformed pieces or as sorted parcels, and the contract fixes the species, the colour description, the treatment disclosure and the weight.

Species, variety and identification

8 grades

Determined by gemmological testing against the constants of the species, and reported under the trade nomenclature standardWhat the stone is. Identification comes before every other term, because the species fixes the constants a laboratory will test against and the name that may lawfully appear on the invoice.

Grade	Definition
SpeciesBeryl, confirmed by gemmological testing	Confirmed against the constants of beryl, refractive index, birefringence and specific gravity, on every parcel where identity is not already established by a laboratory report.
VarietyAquamarine	The blue to blue green iron coloured variety. The variety name may only be used where the colour falls within it under the trade nomenclature standard.
Colouring elementIron, in two oxidation states	Ferrous iron gives the blue, ferric iron gives the yellow that reads as green. The balance between them is what heating changes.
Refractive indexReported, with the birefringence	Measured on a refractometer. It separates beryl from the blue stones that imitate it.
Specific gravityReported	Measured hydrostatically, confirming the species and flagging a substitute.
HardnessReported on the Mohs scale	The wear resistance a jeweller and a setter plan around.
PleochroismDeclared, as the two observed colours	Beryl is dichroic. The orientation of the table to the optic axis decides which colour the finished stone shows, and it is a cutting instruction as much as a property.
Crystal habitDeclared	Hexagonal prism, with the terminations, the etching and the striation described, because they govern how the piece is sawn.

Colour

6 grades

Described by hue, tone and saturation under controlled daylight equivalent lighting, against the trade nomenclature standardColour is the dominant value driver in a coloured stone. It is described in three separate dimensions rather than reduced to a single word, and the lighting condition is named because the stone can shift.

Grade	Definition
HueDescribed, from blue to green blue to blue green	The primary and any secondary hue, named in that order. Pure blue with no green modifier commands the premium.
ToneDescribed, from light to dark	How light or dark the stone reads. Aquamarine is a naturally light stone and tone is the term that most often separates commercial from fine.
SaturationDescribed, from weak to vivid	The intensity of the hue, judged with the tone rather than separately.
Colour zoningDescribed, by location and intensity	Beryl grows in colour zones along the prism. Where the zoning sits decides how the stone must be oriented and whether the colour will spread when cut.
Lighting conditionDeclared	Colour assessed under daylight equivalent lighting, with any change under incandescent light noted.
Colour stabilityDeclared	Whether the colour is stable to light and heat in normal wear, which for iron coloured beryl it is.

Clarity and inclusions

5 grades

Observed at ten times magnification and confirmed under the microscope, against the clarity type of the speciesClarity is judged against what is normal for the species. A stone that is expected to grow clean is held to a different standard than one that never does.

Grade	Definition
Clarity typeType one, under the standard clarity classification	Aquamarine is expected to grow eye clean. It is graded against that expectation, so a visible inclusion carries more weight here than in a stone that never grows clean.
Eye clean assessmentDeclared, at the stated viewing distance	Whether inclusions are visible to the unaided eye at the normal viewing distance, which is the working commercial threshold.
Inclusion typesDescribed	Liquid and two phase inclusions, hollow tubes parallel to the prism, growth tubes and mica plates. The suite is also part of an origin opinion.
Fractures and cleavageDescribed, by position and reach	Beryl has an imperfect basal cleavage. A fracture reaching the surface is a durability and a yield term.
TransparencyDescribed, from transparent to translucent	Transparent material is faceted, translucent material is cabbed or carved, and the split changes the price basis.

Rough form, size and yield

6 grades

Measured and weighed on the rough parcel, with the cutting assessment declaredRough is bought on what can be cut out of it. Weight, shape, and the way the crystal presents decide the yield, and the yield decides the price per carat.

Grade	Definition
Rough weightCarats, per piece and per parcel	Weighed on a calibrated balance. Large clean beryl crystals are common enough that size alone does not carry the price.
DimensionsMillimetres, length by width by depth	Measured on the crystal or the preform, because the finished stone that can be cut from it is a dimensional question.
Estimated yieldPercentage of rough weight, declared as an assessment	The cutting assessment, stated as an opinion of the seller or the inspecting cutter, never as a warranty.
Shape and formDeclared, as crystal, water worn piece, preform or sawn slice	What condition the rough arrives in, which sets the work still to be done.
OrientationDeclared	Where the table will sit relative to the optic axis, which for a dichroic beryl decides the face up colour.
Size distributionDeclared, as the count within each stated weight band	For a sorted parcel, the distribution rather than the average, because a parcel is bought on what it will produce across the sizes.

Treatment and disclosure

6 grades

Disclosed in full under the trade nomenclature standard and the laboratory harmonisation information sheetsEvery treatment is disclosed, permanent or not. Non disclosure is the single fastest way to destroy a counterparty relationship in this trade, so the disclosure travels on the contract, the invoice and the parcel.

Grade	Definition
Heat treatmentDisclosed, as heated or unheated	Low temperature heating drives ferric iron toward ferrous and removes the green, leaving a purer blue. It is routine, permanent and stable, and it must be disclosed.
IrradiationDisclosed	Disclosed where used, with the process named.
Fracture fillingDisclosed, with the filler identified	Any resin, oil or glass in a fracture, identified by the laboratory and disclosed with the extent.
Coating and surface treatmentDisclosed	Any applied layer, disclosed with its coverage and its durability.
Synthetic and imitation screeningDeclared, against the named laboratory method	Confirmation that the material is natural beryl rather than synthetic beryl, glass, or another blue species.
Disclosure recordDocument, per parcel	The written treatment disclosure travelling with the invoice and the parcel, as the trade standard requires.

Parcel, documentation and settlement

9 grades

Contract terms settled on the parcel, the laboratory report and the export documentation rather than on the stone itselfTerms that travel with the parcel.

Grade	Definition
Parcel compositionDeclared, by piece count and total carat weight	What is actually in the lot. A rough parcel is sold as a parcel, so the count, the weight and the size distribution are the contract.
Weight basisCarats, to the stated decimal place	Weighed on a calibrated balance, with the weighing certificate and the tolerance named.
Sealing and markingDeclared	Parcels sealed in the presence of both parties or their agents, numbered and photographed, so the goods that arrive are the goods that were inspected.
Laboratory reportDocument, per stone or per parcel	Issued by a named laboratory operating to the international testing competence standard, covering species, treatment and, where commissioned, origin.
Origin determinationDeclared, where commissioned	A laboratory origin opinion is an opinion based on inclusion suites and trace element chemistry. It is stated as such and never as a guarantee.
Export and import documentationDeclared	Export permit or certificate from the producing country, customs classification under the harmonized system, and any royalty or clearance certificate the origin requires.
Responsible sourcingDeclared	Mine or source, chain of custody, and the due diligence statement, including artisanal and small scale mining status where it applies.
Viewing and rejectionDeclared	Where and when the buyer may view, the memo or consignment terms if any, and the window and grounds for rejection after the laboratory report.
Insurance and carriageDeclared	Valuation for transit, the specialist carrier or secure courier named, and the point at which risk passes.

Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.

Locations

Country	Region	We trade it as
Brazil	South America	Origin and destination
Madagascar	Southern Africa	Origin and destination
Nigeria	West Africa	Origin and destination
Zambia	Southern Africa	Origin and destination
Pakistan	South Asia	Origin and destination
Afghanistan	Central Asia	Origin and destination
Nepal	South Asia	Origin and destination
Sri Lanka	South Asia	Origin and destination
Myanmar	Southeast Asia	Origin and destination
Viet Nam	Southeast Asia	Origin and destination
Tanzania	East Africa	Origin and destination
Kenya	East Africa	Origin and destination
Malawi	Southern Africa	Origin and destination
Zimbabwe	Southern Africa	Origin and destination
Namibia	Southern Africa	Origin and destination
Mozambique	Southern Africa	Origin and destination
Russian Federation	Eurasia	Origin and destination
Ukraine	Europe	Origin and destination
United States	North America	Origin and destination
Canada	North America	Origin and destination
Mexico	North America	Origin and destination
Colombia	South America	Origin and destination
Peru	South America	Origin and destination
Bolivia	South America	Origin and destination
Argentina	South America	Origin and destination
China	East Asia	Cutting centre and destination
India	South Asia	Cutting and trading centre
Thailand	Southeast Asia	Cutting, treatment and trading centre
Israel	Middle East	Cutting and trading centre
United Arab Emirates	Middle East	Trading hub and free zone
Switzerland	Europe	Trading, laboratory and vaulting centre
Belgium	Europe	Trading centre
Germany	Europe	Cutting centre and destination
United Kingdom	Europe	Trading centre and destination
France	Europe	Destination
Italy	Europe	Destination
Hong Kong	East Asia	Trading centre
Singapore	Southeast Asia	Trading and finance
Japan	East Asia	Destination
Republic of Korea	East Asia	Destination
Australia	Oceania	Origin and destination
New Zealand	Oceania	Destination

Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.

Timing

Production is when the stone comes out of the ground at origin, which follows the mining season, the water level at an alluvial working and the rhythm of artisanal digging rather than a crop calendar. Arrival is when material from that origin typically reaches a cutting or trading centre. The gap between them is sorting, export clearance and the journey to the market.

HarvestArrival

Origin	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D	Window
Brazil	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecThe historic benchmark source, from the pegmatite belts of Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and Bahia, producing large clean crystals across the year.
Madagascar	Arrival			Harvest	Harvest	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Arrival	Harvest Apr to Nov, arrival Jun to JanPegmatite production weighted to the dry season, when the workings are accessible and the tracks carry.
Nigeria	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Arrival	Arrival				Harvest	Harvest	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Oct to Apr, arrival Dec to JunArtisanal pegmatite mining on the Jos plateau and in the central belt, working through the dry months.
Zambia					Harvest	Harvest	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Arrival	Arrival	Harvest May to Oct, arrival Jul to DecPegmatite material moving out with the wider coloured stone production during the dry season.
Pakistan					Harvest	Harvest	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Arrival	Arrival	Harvest May to Oct, arrival Jul to DecHigh altitude pegmatite workings in the northern valleys, reachable only in the summer window.
Afghanistan					Harvest	Harvest	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Arrival	Arrival		Harvest May to Sep, arrival Jul to NovPegmatite production in the eastern provinces, moving overland once the passes open.
Mozambique					Harvest	Harvest	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Arrival	Arrival	Harvest May to Oct, arrival Jul to DecPegmatite production alongside the tourmaline workings, concentrated in the dry season.
Sri Lanka	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest and arrival	Harvest Jan to Dec, arrival Jan to DecAlluvial gem gravels worked year round, with the pace set by the water level in the pits.

Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including forward commitments against a mine run, parcels already sitting in a cutting centre, and material held in a free trade zone or bonded vault.

Customs, packing and contract terms

Indicative terms for aquamarine. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.

HS heading7103.10 Precious and semi-precious stones, unworked or simply sawn or roughly shaped
7103.99 Semi-precious stones, otherwise worked
PackingSealed and numbered parcels under a valuation certificate. Never containerised.
Container loadingNot containerised. Moves by insured secure courier or hand carry against a declared valuation, with customs presentation at both ends.
Contract and arbitrationCIBJO Blue Book nomenclature, with a GIA, Gubelin or SSEF report where the value warrants it. Sale on viewed and approved parcel terms with weight and treatment disclosure. Arbitration under the rules of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses or the ICC.
Destination limitsOrigin declaration and OECD due diligence for minerals from conflict affected and high risk areas, US OFAC sanctions on Burmese ruby and jade under the JADE Act, anti money laundering registration and reporting for dealers in precious stones, and full disclosure of heat, diffusion, fracture filling and any other treatment.

Common questions

What grades of aquamarine does SIP Global trade?

We quote 40 published grades of aquamarine, including Species - Beryl, confirmed by gemmological testing, Variety - Aquamarine, Colouring element - Iron, in two oxidation states, Refractive index - Reported, with the birefringence, Specific gravity - Reported and Hardness - Reported on the Mohs scale. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.

How is aquamarine graded?

Aquamarine is bought on colour first, then on clarity and on what the crystal will yield. The rough is sold as crystals, as preformed pieces or as sorted parcels, and the contract fixes the species, the colour description, the treatment disclosure and the weight. Grading runs on 6 systems: Species, variety and identification, Colour, Clarity and inclusions, Rough form, size and yield, Treatment and disclosure and Parcel, documentation and settlement.

Where does SIP Global trade aquamarine?

We trade aquamarine in Brazil, Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka and 34 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.

When is aquamarine harvested and when does it arrive?

Typical windows are Brazil: harvest jan to dec, arrival jan to dec; Madagascar: harvest apr to nov, arrival jun to jan; Nigeria: harvest oct to apr, arrival dec to jun; Zambia: harvest may to oct, arrival jul to dec; Pakistan: harvest may to oct, arrival jul to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.

What is the HS code for aquamarine?

Aquamarine is normally classified under HS 7103.10 (precious and semi-precious stones, unworked or simply sawn or roughly shaped) and HS 7103.99 (semi-precious stones, otherwise worked). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.

How do I get a price for aquamarine?

Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed aquamarine market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.

Standards and data sources

The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.

UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities

Related sheets

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Price this with our desk

Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.

Commodity

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Nothing here matches what you are holding? Send it anyway. The sheets cover the markets we publish, not the limit of what the desk will look at.