Aquamarine
The pure, fresh blue colour of the Aquamarine gives it the name ‘Water of the Sea’ and its colour varies from very pale whitish-blue to a more intense light blue. It is said to bring serenity to those who wear it.
Information
Aquamarine is the blue-coloured crystal of the Beryl family (beryls also include emeralds and morganites). Flawless beryl is colourless, however it is often tinted by impurities giving it varying shades of blue, green, yellow, red and white.
It is the birthstone for March and given for 16th and 19th wedding anniversaries.
The leading producer of aquamarines is Brazil, with many other sources worldwide. The biggest aquamarine ever found was at the mine of Marambaia, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. It weighed over 110 kg, and its dimensions were 48.5cm long and 42cm in diameter.
Some gemstones are heated to high temperatures to enhance their colour and/or clarity. Aquamarines are often heat treated to change their blue-green or teal colour to create a more, pure blue coloured stone.