Aquamarine: Water Color
With a name like aquamarine, it’s not surprising this brilliant greenish-blue gem is the color of water. Its sparkling depths make you think of warm, clear ocean waves lapping on a white sand beach.
Close your eyes and picture that sunny day at the beach. Are you surprised that aquamarine is the gem of happiness?
Legend says that this gem receives its power from mermaids, who use it to keep sailors safe during storms at sea. (For maximum protective effect, it must be bathed in sea water.)
Aquamarine is the mineral beryl, which makes it a close relative of emerald. This pastel gem has emerald’s brilliance and lasting value too.
The most important value factor for aquamarine is its color, which should be a light but pure pastel blue with only a hint of green. Aquamarine is always more saturated in larger sizes: it isn’t possible to get the best color in small accent stones.
Experts recommend choosing an aquamarine with good clarity, since this gem’s pale color makes inclusions more visible than they would be in more vividly colored gems. A perfectly proportioned and polished cut is important to add sparkle.
Brazil is the most important source of aquamarine, with many mines in the state of Minas Gerais. The most famous mine for aquamarine is the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil, which produced beautiful gems, some in very large sizes. Today, when a new deposit is found with a bright blue color, it’s sometimes named after that legendary mine. Lovely aquamarines found in the last decade in Mozambique were called “Santa Maria Africana.” But gem collectors know that all mines produce good and not-so-good gems, so you should never take origin as a guarantee of quality.
Almost all aquamarines are heated gently to about 400 degrees Celsius before their final polish to remove any color overtones. This enhancement is undetectable and is accepted by the trade so it does not affect value.
In addition to being the birthstone for March, Aquamarine is the gem for the 19th anniversary. Aquamarine has royal pedigree: a large aquamarine is set in Saint Edwards Crown, the official coronation crown of British kings and queens. Catherine the Great, Napoleon, and Leopold I of Austria also loved this lovely pastel gem.
Today jewelry designers most often set aquamarine in white gold jewelry but the color also complements rose gold, platinum, and sterling silver. Aquamarine engagement rings are becoming more popular as the symbol of a happy marriage.
