Aquamarine

Stone of the Sea

Looking at aquamarine, it is hard to argue the accuracy of its name; first documented around 480-300 BC, it derives from two latin words: ‘aqua’, meaning ‘water, and ‘marina’, meaning ‘belonging to the sea’. People of ancient Greece and Rome believed the pale blue stone could calm waves and keep sailors safe – engraved aquamarine amulets were used as a means of protection against perils of the sea.

Symbolism and Superstitions

Aquamarine was also highly valued by other ancient tribes, such as the Egyptians, Sumerians and Hebrews, who considered it a symbol of eternal youth and happiness. Christians identified the blue beryl with Saint Thomas the Apostle, who was known to undertake lengthy sea journeys in order to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is worth noting that early Christians associated each of the twelve apostles with their relevant gemstone – Saint Peter’s attribute was for example jasper, otherwise known as bloodstone. During the Early Renaissance in Europe, people considered aquamarine as an antidote against various poisons. Since poison-related murders in royal courts were on the rise at the time, aquamarine jewellery such as rings and pendants became a customary part of daily attire among both men and women. Today, the delicate blue stone can be used as a perfect gift for people born in March, or those celebrating the nineteenth wedding anniversary.

Santa Maria Aquamarine

Aquamarine can usually be found among deposits of ordinary beryl, as it is its variation. The largest aquamarine ever discovered was mined in 1910 in Marambaia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The gemstone weighted more than 110 kilograms (243 lb) and measured 42 centimeters (16 1⁄2 in) in diameter. Brazil is also the source of the most valuable variety of aquamarine, found in the mine of Santa Maria de Itabira. Santa Maria aquamarine is significantly darker and more saturated than its other counterparts. The United States are also an important source of the stone, with several deposits of blue beryl across Colorado, Wyoming and Idaho. Apart from North America, aquamarine is mined in Colombia, Zambia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya.

Treatments

Aquamarine’s signature hue is caused by trace amounts of ferrous iron in its crystal structure. Natural aquamarine is rather pale and slightly greenish, and it is a common practice to subject it to heat treatments in order to produce bluer and more saturated stones. Unlike other beryl variations, aquamarines tend to be completely flawless with no visible inclusions. Due to the relative abundance of the blue gem on the market, production of its synthetic versions is not cost effective, and therefore rarely carried out.