Aquamarine

Named after seawater, aquamarine’s fresh watery hue is a cool plunge into a refreshing pool.

Aquamarine Description

Aquamarine is the green-blue to blue variety of the mineral beryl. (Emerald is the green to bluish green variety of the same mineral.) Its color is usually a light pastel greenish blue.

Heat treatment usually gives it a more bluish appearance.

Aquamarine crystals are known to be large in size and relatively clean and well-formed, making them particularly valuable to collectors of mineral specimens.

Aquamarine History and Lore

Aquamarine’s name comes from the Latin for seawater and it was said to calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. March’s birthstone was also thought to enhance the happiness of marriages. The best gems combine high clarity with limpid transparency and blue to slightly greenish blue hues.

Gemstone Details

Mineral: beryl
Chemistry: Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈
Color: greenish blue, light in tone
Refractive index: 1.577 to 1.583
Birefringence: 0.005 to 0.009
Specific gravity: 2.72
Mohs Hardness: 7.5 to 8.0

Birthstones and Anniversaries

Aquamarine is the birthstone for March and the gem of the 19th wedding anniversary.

Aquamarine Gemstone as rough

Like many beryls, aquamarine forms large crystals suitable for sizable fashioned gems and carvings.

Few people outside the gem industry realize the true nature of a gemstone’s journey from the mine to the counter of a store. Whether the gem is being offered to consumer’s at a traditional jewelry store’s counter, an internet shopping site, or a television broadcast the journey always involves a great deal of effort. Tons of earth and countless hours of labor are needed to being a gem from mine to market.

Facts about Aquamarine 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.

Quality Factors

COLOUR

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 WEIGHT

Aquamarine crystals range from tiny to very large—some even up to 100 lbs.

Aquamarine

Aquamarine

Facts about Aquamarine Gemstone

Quality Factors

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