Aquamarine - March birthstone

Mohs Hardness  7.5  8

Mined From  Brazil, Australia, China, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, USA, Zambia.

Species   Beryl

Typical Cutting Style  Cabochon and Faceted

Colour  Its colour ranges from greenish-blue to blue-green in lighter tones, the colour is usually more intense in larger stones but some aquamarine stones from Africa display deeper blue shades. Aquamarine is dichroic, meaning that the intensity of colour changes depending on the angle it is viewed from.

Chemistry   Aquamarine is made from Be3 Al2 Si6 O18, Aluminium beryllium silicate, the pigment comes from iron.

Treatment  Heat treatment is the most common treatment used to enhance the colour of an aquamarine stone removing yellow hints of colour resulting in a pure blue colour.

Inclusions  Typical inclusions found within an aquamarine gemstone are fine hollow rods which can sometimes reflect white light within the stone.

Cleaning & Care  Warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush will help maintain the sparkle of your aquamarine. Ultra sonic machine cleaning and steam cleaning are usually safe but not for feather or liquid inclusions. Heat exposure is not recommended for aquamarine, but the colour is stable against light exposure. Aquamarine can be attacked by hydrofluoric acid. Visit us on a yearly basis for a FREE clean and polish service.

Storing Your Aquamarine  When you are not wearing your aquamarine jewellery place it in a cloth pouch or in a separate compartment to other gemstone jewellery (i.e sapphires, rubies, diamonds and topaz gemstones are a higher hardness level on the Mohs scale) they could cause scratches to your aquamarine jewellery.

Interesting Facts Aquamarine crystals can grow into huge sizes, and usually blessed with excellent clarity. The name Aquamarine is Latin for sea water. In medieval times they believed that water touched by an aquamarine treated ills affecting the eyes and lungs.

Queen Elizabeth has a Brazilian tiara which features an extremely large aquamarine given to her as a coronation gift from the president and people of Brazil in 1953.

The largest ever stone was found during 1910 in Brazil, weighing 243 pounds. It was then cut into smaller stones which yielded over 200,000 carats.

Aquamarine is said to calm waves and kept sailors safe at sea.