Aquamarine is the pale blue-green variety of beryl, a hard, clear gem and a cousin of emerald. The name means sea water.
Beryl · Beryl
Aquamarine
Aguamarina
- Palette
- Blue Green
- Mined in
- Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Russia, United States, Zimbabwe
- Hardness
- Mohs 7.5–8.0 ?
- See-through
- transparent
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- Latin aqua marina, 'water of the sea'
- Also sold as
- blue beryl, sea-water stone
- Intention
- Protection Calm
- Looking for
- Safe travels Calm Courage Communication
- Water
- Fine with water and mild soap
- Dye or finish
- Nearly all aquamarine is gently heated to take out green tones and leave a cleaner blue, and the change is permanent. Some stones also have cracks filled with resin, and a deep-blue stone made by irradiation can fade in sunlight.
Not in our pieces now
100 POUNDS
The Dom Pedro aquamarine was cut from a crystal of about 100 pounds and weighs roughly 4.6 pounds finished.
109.92 CARATS
The Hirsch Aquamarine, once owned by King Louis XV of France, weighs 109.92 carats.
380,000 KG
The biggest natural crystal of any mineral is a beryl, the family aquamarine belongs to: about 18 meters long and 380,000 kilograms, from Madagascar.
What it is
Aquamarine is a pale blue to blue-green beryl, clear to translucent, with a glassy shine. Beads are often cloudy or included, with the soft sea tones that give it its name.
What gives it its color
Aquamarine is blue beryl colored by trace iron: ferrous iron gives the blue and ferric iron adds a green-yellow tint. Gentle heating removes the yellow to leave a cleaner, permanent blue, and the deep-blue maxixe type can be made by irradiation and may fade in sunlight.
Where it comes from
Brazil, especially Minas Gerais, is the leading source of gem-quality aquamarine, with Mozambique, Nigeria, Madagascar, Pakistan, Russia and others also producing it, and India and Sri Lanka as historic alluvial producers.
In history
Ancient Greek gem engravers cut aquamarine into seal stones, and in 13th-century Italy the first eyeglasses were made from beryl, the stone family aquamarine belongs to. The Dom Pedro aquamarine, cut to 10,363 carats, is at the Smithsonian, and in 1936 Eleanor Roosevelt received a 1,298-carat aquamarine during a visit to Brazil.
What's said about it
In crystal lore, it's the traveller's stone. Sailors are said to have carried it for safe passages, and today it's thought of as a stone for courage, calm and clear speaking.
Ancient gem writers praised sea-green beryl above all other kinds, and an old set of voyage amulets included one. It's a modern birthstone for March.
People wear it as a bracelet or earrings, or carry it in a pocket or travel bag.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, as earrings or a necklace, in a pocket, or in a travel bag.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, aquamarine is paired with the heart and throat and third eye chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on the wrist, as earrings or a necklace, in a pocket. People reach for it when they want safe travels, calm, courage, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraHeart, Throat, Third Eye
ZodiacAries, Gemini, Pisces
BirthstoneMarch, October
Anniversary19th
ElementWater
Also calledblue beryl, sea-water stone
Care
- Hard and durable enough for everyday wear.
- Clean with mild soapy water and a soft cloth; rinse and dry.
- Color can be altered by heating, so keep it away from hot water, saunas and strong direct heat.
- Avoid ultrasonic cleaners if the stone looks cloudy or has visible inclusions.
How to tell what you have
- Real aquamarine is hard (7.5-8) and often clean, with only a faint sea-blue tint. Look-alikes include blue topaz, blue apatite and glass; glass shows round bubbles and swirls and feels warmer, and apatite is softer and glows under UV light where aquamarine does not.
What sets the price
Price follows how pure and deep the blue is (the more intense the blue, the more valuable) and how clean the stone is; naturally blue stones cost more than ones heated to remove a green tint, and very large stones are worth less for their weight than mid-sized ones.
Rules and sourcing
Nearly all aquamarine is gently heated, which is permanent, and some stones have cracks filled with resin or color made by irradiation. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose fillers and irradiation, and good practice is to state heat.
Questions people ask at our table
What is aquamarine?
Aquamarine is the pale blue to sea-green variety of beryl, the mineral family that also holds emerald. Its color comes from a trace of iron.
Is aquamarine natural?
Natural aquamarine is real beryl, and many stones are gently heated to remove a yellowish tint and leave a cleaner blue. Pale blue glass and dyed or heated quartz are sometimes sold under the name, so price and source matter.
Is it hard enough for a bracelet?
Yes. At 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale it resists scratches well, though a hard knock can still chip a bead.
Where is aquamarine found?
Mostly in granite pegmatites. Brazil is the best-known source, with Zimbabwe, Russia, Mexico, Ireland and the United States also producing it.
What do you carry that looks similar?
Blue apatite, amazonite and blue tiger eye give a related blue-green look, though they are different minerals and much softer or different in pattern.
Not in our pieces right now
Stones we do carry that are close to it are listed under related stones.
Stay in the loop
Sign up to hear about new product drops, upcoming events, and the latest from Peritik. No spam, just the good stuff.