The Aquamarise Journal

Guides, stories and care for gemstone jewelry

Everything we know about choosing, styling and caring for fine jewelry, written by the people who make it.

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Kite-cut black onyx engagement ring prong set in sterling silver with marquise and round white accents, stacked with a matching chevron band

Gemstone GuidesNovember 5, 2026 · 16 min read

Onyx vs Obsidian: Differences, Dye, Durability and How to Tell

Onyx versus obsidian explained: chalcedony against volcanic glass, the carbon treatment behind black onyx, home tests that actually work, and an honest verdict on which belongs in a ring.

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Ring sizeFind your ring size

BuyingEngagement vs wedding ring

MetalsWhat gold vermeil really is

BirthstonesBirthstones by month

Latest guides

190 guides

A brushed silver and rose-gold tungsten band rests on a lilac tile, with its smooth unlettered inner surface clearly visible.

Couples RingsNew

November 3, 2026 · 17 min read

Ring Engraving Ideas: 180 Lines That Fit 16 or 25 Characters

Every ring engraving idea with its character count, sorted to the real 16- and 25-character limits inside a band, plus the store's rules, verified...

Oval black rutilated quartz ring in sterling silver, clear quartz crossed by fine black needles, flanked by marquise white accent stones

Gemstone GuidesNew

October 29, 2026 · 15 min read

Rutilated Quartz Meaning, Properties, Colors and Value

Rutilated quartz explained: the rutile needles and their colors, the black-needle confusion with tourmalinated quartz, the real history behind Venus' hair stone, and how...

Blue Goldstone Meaning: Symbolism, History and Properties

Gemstone GuidesNew

October 27, 2026 · 15 min read

Blue Goldstone Meaning: Symbolism, History and Properties

Blue goldstone is man-made glass with copper crystals, sold as blue sandstone. Its meaning, Venetian history, hardness and care, and how it compares with...

An elongated cushion diamond solitaire in yellow gold rests on a long lavender silk ribbon in a calm proposal still life.

Engagement

October 22, 2026 · 16 min read

What Knee Do You Propose On? The Left-Knee Tradition, Explained

Tradition says the left knee, one knee only, box in the left hand. Where the custom actually comes from (less than you have read),...

Pear-cut moonstone with a blue glow in a halo of white stones, on a twisted pavé band with a crown-shaped stacking band in sterling silver

Metal Guides

October 20, 2026 · 16 min read

Is Sterling Silver Hypoallergenic? Allergies, Alloys and Safe Metals

Sterling silver is hypoallergenic for most people. Why nickel, not silver, causes most jewelry rashes, what the label legally means, and a skin-safety verdict...

A pale ametrine Faelight gemstone shows its long hexagonal shape and precise fan-cut facets on softly textured lilac paper.

Gemstone Guides

October 17, 2026 · 16 min read

The Faelight Cut: Fantasy Cut Sapphire, Topaz and Ametrine Explained

Aquamarise's Faelight Cut explained: how concave starburst grooves make lab sapphire, topaz and ametrine glow, where fantasy and star cuts come from, the seven...

A sky-blue topaz ring with white-gold scrollwork rests beside a cropped lavender geode, showing its clear geometric facets.

Birthstones

October 15, 2026 · 15 min read

Scorpio Birthstone: Topaz, Its Color, Meaning and Alternatives

The Scorpio birthstone is topaz, with citrine, opal and beryl as alternatives from other lists. Where each claim comes from, the birthstone color, and...