March’s Birthstone Aquamarine and Everything That’s Special About It

 

 

 

 

 

 

March’s birthstone is aquamarine and there are a lot of interesting facts about the blue stone.

Aquamarine has a hue that ranges from pale to deep blue. It is most often light in tone but the color usually looks more intense in larger stones. March in fact has two birthstones associated with it, the second being bloodstone (a dark-green stone that has vivid red spots of iron oxide) but aquamarine is the more commonly known one. Both stones has long been a symbol of youth, health and hope.

Often having a hue thats reminiscent of clear ocean water, aquamarine’s name is actually derived from the Latin word “aqua,” meaning water, and “marina,” meaning the sea. The gemstone is mined mainly in Brazil, but also is found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, and Mozambique, according to the American Gem Society. Large stones have been found all over the world and one stone found in Brazil in 1910 weighed over 240 pounds. After its discovery it was cut into smaller stones, which equaled to more than 200,000 carats.

Aquamarine is also found in central Colorado and became the state’s official gemstone on April 30, 1971, according to the Colorado state archives.

This gemstone is actually a variety of a mineral called beryl and iron gives it its vibrant blue hue. Aquamarine grows in large, six-sided crystals that can be up to a foot long, making it a gem good for cutting and polishing into larger carats suitable for statement pieces of aquamarine jewelry. The stone is also used to celebrate 19th wedding anniversaries.

The history of aquamarine stems back to the Middle Ages, according to the American Gem Society. Back then, many believed that simply wearing aquamarine could literally cure poisoning. Many ancient medicines incorporated powder from aquamarine, which was believed to help cure all kinds of infection, but it was said to be particularly good for problems pertaining to the eyes.

The Romans truly believed that if you carved a frog into a piece of aquamarine jewelry, it would help to reconcile differences between enemies and steer people in the direction of being friends. The gemstone was also admired among the Sumerians, Egyptians, and Hebrews. Many warriors would wear it into battle in the hope that it would bring them victory and sailors wore it to guarantee them a safe voyage. The stone is believed to be good for mental health, help cultivate inner tranquility and cool ones temper, in order for them to remain calm and level-headed.

Aquamarine rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets and necklaces beautifully accent spring and summer wardrobes, which start coming out with the turn of March. Jewelry experts say the gemstone has almost no inclusions, making it less susceptible to scratches and cracks. Aquamarine jewelry is also regularly worn by celebrities at red carpet events. Most recently, actress Emily Blunt wore aquamarine earrings to the 2018 Oscars along with an aquamarine ring featuring a 12.92-carat aquamarine and along ring featuring a 5.11-carat pear-shaped aquamarine.