March Birthstone: Aquamarine
Aquamarine is the blue variety of beryl (green beryl is emerald, pink beryl is morganite). Aquamarines come in a range of colors including dark blue, sky blue, blue-green, and blueish-grey. Today, the most desirable colors are sky blue and dark blue; however, in the 19th century the preferred color was sea green. The best gem quality aquamarines are found in Brazil. Most aquamarine gems have been heat treated to enhance the color.
AQUAMARINE: MEANING & ANCIENT LORE
- Aquamarine is derived from Latin aqua marina meaning “sea water”.
- The largest aquamarine ever was found in Brazil weighing 243 pounds! It was cut into smaller gemstones yielding over 200,000 Carats in total.
- Historically, sailors would take an aquamarine stone on long voyages to protect against accidents and seasickness.
- The Dom Pedro Aquamarine, the world’s largest cut aquamarine, is displayed in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Questions about aquamarines? Text us at 408-446-2900 or fill out our Contact Form.
CARE & CLEANING OF YOUR AQUAMARINE JEWELRY
Aquamarine is 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale and has fair to good toughness, making it a stone that requires more care in wearing than ruby or sapphire. While we always recommend professional cleaning, aquamarine jewelry may be safely cleaned at home with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Click here for our step-by-step guide to cleaning jewelry at home.
SOURCE: GIA (The Gemological Institute of America was established in 1931 and protects the public through gemological research, education, impartial gem identification and grading services, and instrument development).
