Imagine the cool blue waters of the Mediterranean with the sun shining and the white sugar sand beach. This is what I think about when I see a beautiful Aquamarine. This month’s gemstone of the month is Aquamarine, which literally means “sea water.”
Aquamarine is part of the beryl family and is the birthstone for March and it comes from Australia, Brazil, China, Kenya, Madagascar and Mozambique. What is unique about this stone is that the crystals can grow to huge sizes, so you will find very large gemstones for jewelry. Also, the clarity is excellent, which makes it ideal to be used as a center gem for jewelry and larger cuts.
The Myth and Lore of Aquamarine
Since early times, this stone has been believed to endow the wearer with foresight, courage, and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety and in the Middle Ages it was thought that it would reduce the effect of poisons.
According to legend, Aquamarine is the treasure of mermaids, and holds the power to keep sailors safe when at sea. The stone is said to be a particularly strong charm when immersed in water. For these reasons, the gemstone was dedicated to a number of sea goddesses, including the Greek love goddess, Aphrodite, whose name means “born of the foam”.
To recharge and cleanse your gemtone, place it in water on the night of the Full Moon.
The Color of Aquamarine
This gemstone is usually either a blue, blue-green or aqua color and most are heat treated to remove yellow, which results in a purer blue color. When an Aquamarine is heat-treated the stability is very good.
How to Clean Your Aquamarine
You can clean your stone by any methods, but as always, the best method is warm soapy water or taking it to your jeweler.
Hardness – 7.5 – 8 on Mohs scale
Toughness – Good
This stone is used in all types of jewelry.
