What is the lovely blue gemstone Aquamarine?
Aquamarine is a member of the Beryl family - just like Morganite, Emerald, Golden Beryl, Green Beryl and the rare Red Beryl.
The presence of ferrous iron gives it its blue colour, whilst the presence of ferric iron turns the gem slightly sea-foam green.
Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. The name 'aquamarine' was derived from the Latin ‘aqua’ for ‘water’ and ‘marina’ for ‘of the sea’.
Here’s a gorgeous Deep Blue, 2.38ct Asscher Cut sparkling Aquamarine that I’m designing into a piece of jewellery.
After hundreds of millions of years underground, it was mined on Valentine’s Day 2019.
Mozambique has recently started producing some excellent quality aquamarines which rival the famous Santa Maria Aquas from Brazil. These top colour gems - known as Santa Maria Afrique to differentiate them from their Brazilian counterparts - have hardly been seen at all for the last several years. Unlike the vast majority of Aquamarines which are quite pale, these have a far more intense blue colour.
It has an absolutely gorgeous intense blue colour, which is set off to great effect by superb cutting. Clean lines in the Ascher cut generate intense light reflections within the stone serving to enhance the colour and top clarity.
A truly fantastic Aquamarine.
CARING FOR AQUAMARINE
It has a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs Scale, Gems with a hardness of 6-7 or greater are quite suitable for rings which are worn occasionally. For a ring like a wedding or engagement ring, intended for everyday wear over a period of years, a hardness rating of 8-10 is recommended. Warm, soapy water is the best method for cleaning aquamarine. The use of ultrasonic and steam cleaners is not generally recommended, just in case the stone has liquid inclusions or fractures, invisible to the eye.
