Aquamarine

Aquamarine (Beryl) Gemstones

• Hardness

  7.5 - 8.0.
  
  

• Occurrence

  Brazil, Ural Mountains (Russia), Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nigeria and Madagascar.
  
  

• Appearance

  Aquamarine is the blue, or blue-green type of beryl. Aquamarine and Bloodstone are the birthstones of the month of March.

• Enhancements

  Aquamarine is usually heat treated to remove yellow components thereby producing a purer blue color.
  More information on gemstone enhancements.
  
  

• Gemstone Family

  Aquamarine is a member of the Beryl gemstone family. 

Aquamarine

A stone of courage and serenity...Clear light blue, blue-green, this lovely and gentle gem evokes the sea in both its name and its color. The ancients saw this as a stone of courage and felt that carrying it would help them return safe and prosperous from all sea voyages.
From lightest sky-blue to the deep blue of the sea ... aquamarines show all these shades of an exceptionally beautiful range of usually light blues. It is truly a quite fascinating stone.
Beads of aquamarine have been found in ancient Egyptian mummy pits. It is held in quite high regard in the East as the Stone of the Seer and Mystic, a gemstone that imparts purity to the wearer, as well as encouraging the gentle nature and personality in the wearer. It is a symbol of peace.

Aquamarine (from Latin: aqua marina, "water of the sea") is a blue or turquoise variety of beryl. It occurs at most localities which yield ordinary beryl. The gem-gravel placer deposits of Sri Lanka contain aquamarine. Clear yellow beryl, such as that occurring in Brazil, is sometimes called aquamarine chrysolite.[citation needed] The deep blue version of aquamarine is called maxixe. Maxixe is commonly found in the country of Madagascar. Its color fades to white when exposed to sunlight or is subjected to heat treatment, though the color returns with irradiation.

The pale blue color of aquamarine is attributed to Fe2+. The Fe3+ ions produce golden-yellow color, and when both Fe2+ and Fe3+ are present, the color is a darker blue as in maxixe. Decoloration of maxixe by light or heat thus may be due to the charge transfer  Fe3+ and Fe2+. Dark-blue maxixe color can be produced in green, pink or yellow beryl by irradiating it with high-energy particles (gamma rays, neutrons or even X-rays).

In the United States, aquamarines can be found at the summit of Mt. Antero in the Sawatch Range in central Colorado. In Wyoming, aquamarine has been discovered in the Big Horn Mountains, near Powder River Pass. In Brazil, there are mines in the states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, and Bahia, and minorly in Rio Grande do Norte. The mines of Colombia, Zambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya also produce aquamarine.

The largest aquamarine of gemstone quality ever mined was found in Marambaia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 1910. It weighed over 110 kg, and its dimensions were 48.5 cm  long and  42 cm  in diameter.



Mystical Properties:

Although aquamarine has quite a range of uses, it's strongest energies are in the field of opening up the psychic. If you are especially sensitive to the thoughts and vibrations of other people, wear aquamarine with smoky quartz, as this combination will ease the sharpness of the incoming impressions, and the quartz will help to ground you in the physical. In this manner you may avoid being overcome by unwanted impressions.


Healing Properties:

Aquamarine is told the help reduce one's dependence on drugs, and to help eliminate fluid retention by strengthening the kidneys, liver, spleen and thyroid, thus purifying the general body. At one time, long ago, eyeglasses were made of aquamarine as the stone is soothing to the eyes.

It is told that this stone placed on the neck or worn as a short necklace will treat many neck and throat problems. Placed on swollen glands or worn around the neck it will reduce swelling. Chronic tonsillitis may be relieved by wearing a necklace of aquamarine together with turquoise, sodalite, chalcedony and blue topaz. This stone also has a beneficial effect on the thyroid, and is helpful is most all throat and neck ailments.