Into the Deep: Ocean-Toned Colour Palettes from My Portfolio

 

Living in Devon, the sea is never far away — and it’s never far from my mind when I’m designing either. Blue, teal, green, that impossible turquoise you only get on a really good day… these colours have woven their way through my work for years. So buckle up my treasure loving mermaids and lets dive into my favourite ocean-toned designs…

My Favourite Ocean-Toned Gems

Blue/Green Sapphires

The blue sapphire is the benchmark for a reason. You’ve got the classic cornflower blue that everyone thinks of when you mention a sapphire but they also come in a whole spectrum of blues - sometimes with magical overtones or zoning of purples, yellows and other sumptuous shades! That said sapphire come in a whole rainbow of colours and green sapphires deserve far more attention than they get. Green sapphires can range from pale pastels to teal to sage and forest greens and in my opinion are underrated! I love Sapphires not only for their beautiful colours but also because, at a 9 on the Mohs scale, they are really hardwearing, which matters a lot when someone’s going to wear something every day.

Learn more fun facts about sapphires in my blog post September Birthstone: 10 Fun Facts (Sapphire)

Blue, Teal & Green Diamonds

Not the sparkly white kind — I’m talking rich teals, olive greens and vivid blues.

The coloured diamonds I use are often heat treated, and I think it’s worth saying plainly: these are real mined diamonds. The treatment doesn’t change what they are — it just unlocks colour the stone was always capable of. The result are vivid teals, bright blues and stunning greens and with their unrivalled hardness coloured diamonds certainly have my stamp of approval!

Beryl

Emeralds, morganites & aquamarines (and more!) are all part of the Beryl family of gems. In fact when a stone isn’t saturated enough in colour to be classed as an emerald it may be referred to as simply ‘green beryl’. Whilst emeralds and aquamarines are amongst my favourite types of beryl they may struggle to take daily knocks happily. They deserve to be seen at their best rather than gradually losing their sparkle - so, if you save them for occasions they’ll reward you for it!

While many aquamarines are pale and watery blue in appearance, the stones that typically achieve the highest values are those with stronger colour saturation. The most sought-after of these is the renowned ‘Santa Maria’ shade, celebrated for its rich, vivid blue.

Learn more fun facts about aquamarines in my blog post March Birthstone: 10 Fun Facts (Aqumarine) or Emeralds in my blog post May Birthstone: 10 Fun Facts (Emerald)

Tourmaline

Most people think of watermelon shades when they think of tourmaline like hot pinks and olive greens — but tourmaline has other exciting shades too! Indicolite tourmaline can have beautiful blue & teal tone. It’s a stone that never stops surprising me, and I’m always hunting for interesting ones. (More on the very best tourmaline in the world at the end of this post…)

Learn more fun facts about tourmalines in my blog post October Birthstone: 10 Fun Facts (Tourmaline)

Coveted Shades: Cornflower Blue Sapphires

If blue sapphire is ‘the classic’, cornflower blue is ‘the blue’. That pure, bright, perfectly saturated medium tone — not too dark, not too pale — is what the entire gem industry has collectively agreed is the pinnacle. Kashmir cornflower blues are the most coveted and expensive coloured gemstones in the world whilst fine Ceylon examples aren’t far behind.

Here are a few examples of design I have made featuring this gorgeous shade of sapphire…

Again, reminder you can learn more fun facts about sapphires in my blog post September Birthstone: 10 Fun Facts (Sapphire)

Blue Stone Trilogy Rings

My most reliable crowd-pleaser, without question: a blue gemstone centre, two white diamonds either side. Simple, and it works every single time. The diamonds don’t compete — they frame & make the blues sing! If blue gems are calling to you and you’re not sure where to start, start here.

Explore more trilogy ring designs in our blog post “Three’s a charm: All about trilogy rings”

Cushion Cut Blue Stones

The cushion cut is one of my favourite gem cuts — soft square shape, beautifully rounded corners and gorgeous for showing off colour in a deeper stone. Opt for a portrait orientation to create a classic and elegant look or rotate it 45 degrees to sit point-up in a diamond orientation and suddenly the whole thing feels contemporary and unexpected! Enjoy a couple of my favourite examples of cushion cut blue gemstones from my portflio below…

Explore more alternative gem cuts in my blog post ‘We love all shapes and sizes!’

Turquoise Shades — and the Stone I’ve Coveted for Years

The stones that can’t decide between blue and green are often the most interesting. Indicolite tourmaline lives right in that territory but I’ve worked with diamonds with the most beautiful shades of turquoise too.

But the one I’ve wanted to wear for years — the one that has stubbornly stayed at the top of my wish list — is Paraiba tourmaline. Discovered in Paraiba, Brazil in the late 1980s, Paraibas contain copper, which produces a neon blue-green that genuinely seems to glow from within! There’s nothing else like it in the gem world. My problem? They are spectacularly, heartbreakingly expensive! We’re talking tens of thousands per carat for the finest stones. Sigh…maybe one day - I’ll keep buying lottery tickets!

In the meantime, the indicolite and teal tourmalines I’ve worked with are genuine joy — and they’ve made some of the most joyful pieces in my portfolio…

 
Birthstones, Eternity Rings, Erin's inspiration, September SapphireErin CoxBespoke jewellery