GEM KNOWLEDGE · LABORATORY NOTES
Moss Aquamarine
Two reports are included on this page: Sample 1245 — iron-oxide inclusions · Sample 1111 — hollow tubes and albite.
Indian beryl with platy iron-oxide inclusions, offered under the trade names Moss Aquamarine, Sunstone Aquamarine, and Aquamarine with Sunstone.
Sample: 1245 (#3 beryl with inclusions). Completed: May 13, 2025.
Finding: Beryl containing hematite and/or goethite. The morphology suggests at least some goethite.
What gives this material its included appearance?
Electron imaging and energy-dispersive analysis identified platy iron-oxide inclusions within the beryl. The report retains uncertainty between hematite and goethite, while noting that the inclusion shape suggests some goethite is present.
“Sunstone Aquamarine” and “Aquamarine with Sunstone” are trade names for this material. Sunstone was not identified in this report; the tested inclusions were iron oxides. The specimen photographed in the report weighs 9.62 carats.
Locality: India, according to Soul Body Gems sourcing notes.
Also listed as: Moss Aquamarine · Sunstone Aquamarine · Aquamarine with Sunstone.
Report 1 — sample 1245
Select a screenshot to enlarge it. These two overlapping screenshots reproduce the supplied report.
These results are the property of Soul Body Gems, Alexander Falster, and the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum. Any mention requires full acknowledgment.
Understanding the report figures
Use this guide alongside the written findings and the original report transcript. It explains the purpose of each analytical figure and preserves the laboratory’s own figure labels. The interpretations apply to the tested specimen; signals alone do not establish the identity of every similar-looking stone.
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Electron microscope image: This view shows small-scale regions selected for analysis. Its brightness contrast helps distinguish regions with different compositions; it is not a photograph of their natural colors. Numbered spots connect this view to the analyses listed in the report.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 2: Backscattered electron image of an area of the specimen in Fig. 1.
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Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 3: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 2. (hematite/goethite, with some scatter from the beryl)
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Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 4: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 4. (beryl)
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Electron microscope image: This view shows small-scale regions selected for analysis. Its brightness contrast helps distinguish regions with different compositions; it is not a photograph of their natural colors. Numbered spots connect this view to the analyses listed in the report.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig.2: Backscattered electron image of an area of the specimen.
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Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 3: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 2. This is the blue part. (beryl)
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Elemental spectrum: The peaks record characteristic X-ray signals from elements in the analyzed spot or area. This is an analysis of that location, not automatically of the entire specimen. Any mineral identification or uncertainty named in the laboratory caption is retained below.
Laboratory figure caption: Fig. 4: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 2 (albite)
Read the report as text
Analytical Result Report Sample id: 1245 (#3 beryl with inclusions) Submitted by: Soul Body Gems Date completed: 5-13-2025 Operating conditions: An AMRAY 1830 SEM operated at 25 kV acceleration potential, 24 mm working distance, 0 degrees sample tilt, coated with 250 Å carbon, and also using the attached XRF unit operated at 30 kV. Fig. 1: Photograph of the specimen. 9.62 cts. Fig. 2: Backscattered electron image of an area of the specimen in Fig. 1. Fig. 3: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 2. (hematite/goethite, with some scatter from the beryl) Fig. 4: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 4. (beryl) Summary: This specimen (Fig. 1) is interesting. It has inclusions of a platy iron oxide, hematite and/or goethite (Figs. 2 and 3). The morphology suggests at least some goethite is present. The stone itself is indeed beryl (Figs. 2 and 4). Date: 5-13-2025 Signature Transcription note: The figure 4 caption's reference to Fig. 4 is retained as printed. Two overlapping screenshots were supplied, rather than the original document; the graph labels visible include O, Fe, Si and Al.
Report 2 — sample 1111: another included aquamarine variation
An 8.50-carat aquamarine with hollow and mineral-filled tubes, albite and likely iron-oxide coatings.
Sample: 1111 (#5, cut aquamarine). Completed: January 23, 2025.
What the testing found
Testing identified beryl with 0.22 wt. % sodium, 0.09 wt. % cesium and 0.24 wt. % iron. Iron accounts for the blue color. Many tubes run parallel to the c-axis; some are hollow, while others contain minerals. Albite grains were exposed on cut surfaces, and thin brown coatings in some open tubes were likely introduced iron oxides.
This is another variation listed under Moss Aquamarine. “Rainbow” is the name used for this material; the report does not establish the cause of a rainbow optical effect.
Also listed as: Aquamarine Rainbow · Rainbow Aquamarine
Report 1 — sample 1245
Select a page to enlarge it.
These results are the property of Soul Body Gems, Alexander Falster, and the Maine Mineral & Gem Museum. Any mention requires full acknowledgment.
Read the complete report as text
Analytical Result Report
Sample id: 1111 (#5, cut aquamarine)
Submitted by: Soul Body Gems
Date completed: 1-23-2025
Operating conditions: An AMRAY 1830 SEM operated at 25 kV acceleration potential, 24 mm working distance, 0 degrees sample tilt, coated with 250 Å carbon, and also using the attached XRF unit operated at 30 kV.
A Bruker D2 Phaser X-ray diffractometer was also used in the study and operated at 30 kV and 10 mA.
Photograph of the specimen. 8.50 cts. On the right is a close-up of 9 stacked images showing open and filled hollow tubes in the stone.
Fig.2: Backscattered electron image of an area of the specimen.
Fig. 3: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 1 in Fig. 2. This is the blue part. (beryl)
Fig. 4: Energy dispersive spectrum of spot 2 in Fig. 2 (albite)
Summary of findings: This specimen (Fig. 1) is interesting. The beryl is normal in composition (Figs. 2 and 3), it contains 0.22 wt. % sodium, 0.09 wt. % cesium and 0.24 wt. % iron.
The sodium and cesium contents are low which is typical for aquamarine of lesser evolved pegmatite zones. The iron content is also what is expected in aquamarine, it is the chromophore for this color.
The stone has lots of tubes, these run usually parallel to the c-axis. Many of them are hollow (Fig. 1 close-up photo) but some are filled with other minerals. Several grains of albite were found exposed on the cut surfaces (Figs. 2 and 4) and in some hollow tubes, thin brownish coatings were noted which is likely to the fact that these hollow tubes were exposed to the surface and some iron oxides migrated into them.
Date: 1-23-2025 Signature
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