Aquamarine
Aquamarine, the birthstone for March, evokes the colors of the sea. Aquamarine also conjures blue skies and calming waters. From deep green-blue to light, slightly greenish blue hues, faceted aquamarines are often free from inclusions and as clear as water, symbolizing purity of spirit and soul. The best gems combine high clarity with limpid transparency and have a deeper blue.
Definition:
Aquamarine’s name comes from the Latin for seawater, and ancient mariners claimed the gem would calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. Heat treatment usually gives it more blueish appearance. Crystals of aquamarine are known to be large in size and relatively clean and well-formed, making them particularly valuable to collectors of mineral specimens. This March birthstone was also thought to bring happiness in marriage. As a member of the Beryl family, it was believed to give the wearer protection against foes in battle and litigation. It was also thought to make the wearer unconquerable and amiable, and to quicken the intellect.
The History of Aquamarine:
In ancient times, Aquamarine was believed to counteract the forces of darkness and procure favor from the gods. It was carried by sailors as a talisman against drowning. The Greeks proclaimed this highly prized gem because it sparkles like the sea that is touched by the sun. Legend says that Neptune, the King of the Sea, gave aquamarine as gifts to mermaids, and from then on, it has brought love to all who have owned it.
Eric Welch, courtesy Smithsonian Institution
In 1936, the government of Brazil gave First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt a dark blue rectangular step cut aquamarine that weighed 1298 carats. It was the larger of two stones faceted from a piece of aquamarine rough that itself weighed an impressive 2.9 pounds. It is now housed in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York.
A celebrated attraction at the Smithsonian Institution is the 10,363 carat (about 4.6 pounds) The largest cut aquamarine is the Dom Pedro Aquamarine obelisk which is approximately 14 inches tall and fashioned by acclaimed German lapidary Berndt Munsteiner using the “fantasy cut technique”. photo courtesy of Eric Welch, courtesy Smithsonian Institution.
Symbolism:
Aquamarine, March’s birthstone, is the symbol of youth, hope, health and fidelity. It was long believed to have a soothing influence on married couples, and thought to enhance the happiness of marriages, making it a good anniversary gift. This gemstone is said to cool the temper, allowing the wearer to remain calm and levelheaded. Aquamarine is a stone of courage. Its calming energies reduce stress and quiet the mind. It harmonizes its surroundings and protects against pollutants. In addition, Aquamarine has been connected to the making of new friends, as well as, love and affection, health and hope.
Psychologically, Aquamarine has an infinity with sensitive people. It has the power to invoke tolerance of others. It overcomes judgementalism, gives support to anyone who is overwhelmed by responsibility, and encourages taking responsibility for oneself. It helps create a personality that is upright, persistent, and dynamic. Aquamarine calms the mind, removing extraneous thought. It clears blocked communication and promotes self-expression. It soothes fears and increases sensitivity.
Spiritually, Aquamarine sharpens intuition and open clairvoyance. As a wonderful stone for meditation, it invokes high states of consciousness and spiritual awareness and encourages service to humanity.
Minas Gerias, Brazil
Location:
The Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has been an important source of aquamarine for the past two centuries. Travel there and you will find a changing panorama of landscapes: rocky hills, rivers, and scrub brush dominate the central and eastern regions; savannahs, forests and streams checker the west; and lush green hills roll southward. Aquamarines are found in primary (hard rock) and secondary (weathered) pegmatite deposits in the eastern portion of the state, near the gem center of Teofilo Otoni.
Aquamarine is also found high in the Karakorum foothills of Pakistan. To reach the deposits, miners must climb steep paths to elevations of 9800 to 13,000+ feet and work the sides of forbidding cliffs. Below this inhospitable world lie fertile valleys, rushing rivers and small towns. Aquamarines from this area has been described as “water clear”.
Aquamarine birthstones are also mined in Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia and Mozambique, as well as elsewhere in Africa. United States sources include the Mount Antero area of Colorado (Colorado’s state Gem) and California’s Riverside and San Diego counties. In addition, aquamarine has been found in China, Myanmar, Russia and Ukraine, among other countries.
Care & Cleaning:
With a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, this March birthstone is durable enough for everyday wear. Caring for the gem is easy. Use warm water, mild dish soap and a toothbrush to scrub behind the birthstone where dirt can collect. Be sure to rinse and dry your jewelry thoroughly after cleaning. Ultrasonic cleaners and steam cleaning are usually safe options as long as there are no fractures or liquid inclusions in the gem. Heat treated aquamarines are generally stable, but their color may fade if exposed to prolonged periods of high heat or direct sunlight.
Why We Love This Gemstone
Beautiful Crystals:
Aquamarine grows in beautiful six-sided prismatic crystals that on rare occasions can be more than a foot long.
Transparency:
Faceted Aquamarine is often exceptionally transparent with vitreous luster, so it really sparkles.
Dichroic:
Using a Dichroscope, you can see aquamarine is near colorless and stronger blue in different crystal directions.
COLOR
Aquamarine’s preferred color is a moderately strong dark blue to slightly greenish blue.
CLARITY
Most cut gems are eye-clean. Large examples are available without visible inclusions.
CUT
Because Aquamarine’s color is light, cutting is important and well-cut gems show brilliance.
CARAT
Aquamarine crystals range from tiny to very large – some even up to 100 lbs.
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