When you think of transparent blue gemstones, what usually comes to mind? Blue Sapphire? Blue Topaz? Let's talk about another cool one, a cool blue one... Aquamarine.
My Nana loved jewelry, she had the most exquisite gemstones and sophisticated taste. Her pieces always told a story when they made their way out of hiding from inside her freezer... they were family heirlooms passed to her as an only child to travel treasures she collected along her way. Growing up through the Great Depression, her jewelry told of her experiences, and I loved hearing about her journey. I admired and loved her so much; she was the 'gem' of our family.
"THE Aquamarine"
I could always equate her jewelry to times of the year and family occasions to celebrate. One of her special pieces was an emerald cut, Aquamarine ring. When I was little, I would look into it and yearn for Summer. It looked like an Olympic size swimming pool attached to her finger. It was a clear, deep light aqua blue color surrounded by tiny diamonds. It was one of her favorites and she wore it so elegantly below her oversized, arthritic knuckle. It was a beautiful ring set in gold and your eyes would gaze upon it every time she picked up her hand because it would clink against her glass as it rolled over the side of her finger hitting her drink.
We referred to it as "The Aquamarine" similar to how Californians refer to their huge highways when giving directions... "take The 405 to The 10 to The 5'" well same concept goes with this stone. So funny what we remember thinking back on family memories. She mixed her Art Deco costume jewelry with her fine jewelry, she created a style of her own.
She got this Aquamarine gemstone along with a large Citrine while traveling in Africa with my grandfather and it was very special to her. She always wore her Aquamarine in the Spring, starting with Easter brunch, followed by her birthday in late April, and Mother's Day and that meant Summer would be coming soon. Fireflies lighting up the nights, the smell of cut grass, Saint Louis Baseball, and Cracker Jacks!
Power + Beauty
Aquamarine is named from two Latin words 'aqua' and 'marina', meaning water of the sea. It is known to bring a calming vibe and carries a peaceful energy thought to release stress, embrace the heart, and provide serenity with a soothing effect. It is commonly used to reduce fears and ease phobias as it opens the flow between the heart and throat.
Known as the 'Stone of Courage and Protection,' Aquamarine stimulates the throat chakra and enhances self expression and spiritual communication. It is the modern birthstone for March and astral stone for Aquarius.
Aquamarine is a member of the Beryl family. Beryl comes in a variety of colors, the most familiar variety is Emerald. A stone often confused with blue topaz, it ranges from blue to greenish blue in hue. Iron traces in the crystal structure create its color and form a yellowish and a blue color.
The majority of blue aquamarine gemstones are heat treated to remove the yellow color and make them more appealing to the marketplace. The greenish rough stones are heated to produce the common blue color we see in fine jewelry. Heat treatment in aquamarine is undetectable and widespread. Some prefer the greenish blue pieces to the blue as they are untreated gems in their natural form and can command a higher price in the market.
Born from Magma
A majority of beryl is found in pegmatites; igneous rocks formed in cooling magma where valuable minerals are created. Topaz, Tourmaline and Beryl are common in pegmatites and the crystals can grow to significant sizes. Usually the larger size aquamarines show the most saturation when it comes to color. That means they are deeper and more intense in color and tones and more valuable!
It is rare to see inclusions in faceted aquamarines, except for maybe liquid inclusions. They are pretty clear to look through and can often be confused for glass imitations. They have a nice hardness and transparency to them, so they are a very popular gemstone and used often in jewelry. Aquamarine was super popular until the 80's when Blue Topaz entered the colored stone market. Brazil has been a source of Aquamarine for over 200 years and Pakistan and China are leading producers as well. (Source: Gemological Institute of America)
Thank You Nana
When she passed, she left each of her family members special pieces. I did not receive her Aquamarine ring, but I did find one of my own one day gem mining in Pala, Ca.
I am thrilled to bring you Sparkle Style Aquamarine, gems in a new wearable way. You will love the light aqua sea blue and the unique GEMetic essence of calming vibes it brings, I can see why the Romans called it the "treasure of mermaids." Nana ignited my passion to learn about gemstones and crystals and I am excited to share it with you.
xxoo,
Brit