Aquamarine
Original stone thanks to its amazing blue color, aquamarine manages to make each creation unique. Endowed with a strong meaning in lithotherapy, it cannot be associated with any type of stone. Discover all the secrets of aquamarine.
Aquamarine: general data
Aquamarine, sometimes called aquamarine, takes its name from its bluish color, very close to a sky without clouds or reflections on the surface of the water. Its name comes from the Latin, «aqua marina», which means «sea water».
It was considered a piece of sea ice and associated with the God Neptune for a long time. Worn as a necklace, earring, pendant or bracelet: what do you need to know about aquamarine to choose the right jewelry?
What are the characteristics that make it possible to recognize the aquamarine?
Aquamarine is a stone of the beryls family, classified as silicate. Therefore, it is composed of silica, aluminum, copper, beryllium and iron. By oxidizing, the iron in more or less high concentration, gives the mineral its bluish colors and nuances. This family of crystals also includes emerald, morganite and heliodor.
On the Mohns scale, the aquamarine has a hardness between 7.5 and 8 when the diamond has a hardness of 10, which is the maximum value. Therefore, the aquamarine can easily be turned, polished and worked in order to make beautiful earrings or bracelets of rolled stones. In ring or necklace with an oval pendant, it is often mounted on a silver structure. In jewelry, the aquamarine with blue and green-blue hues is the most often used precious stone because of its perfect association with this metal.
Due to its color and natural characteristics, which make it easy to cut into facets to adorn jewelry, aquamarine is often mistakenly mistaken for topaz. These two stones belong to the same group of silicates, but topaz has much wider color varieties: from blue to yellow, sometimes.
Thermal conductivity is a great way to ensure the authenticity of an aquamarine stone. Beware of fraud! For example, the eastern aquamarine name for a light blue sapphire is now forbidden. Making the difference with the naked eye is very complex, even impossible for a neophyte, so it is advisable to seek advice from a specialist.
The history of aquamarine is long and linked to the sea. Already, during antiquity, the precious stone was worn in ring, necklace or bracelet especially in Greece and Rome. The beliefs around this gem were manifold. For example, it was firmly believed that it was the gem of the sirens. The ancient Egyptians, meanwhile, made it the representation of happiness and eternal youth and wore it mainly to the ears. The Roman Emperor Tutus had a real work engraved on an aquamarine stone, nicknamed Julie’s intaglio, with the effigy of his daughter. It was also thought that wearing an aquamarine necklace allowed soldiers to emerge victorious from naval battles and that it protected travelers.
How much does an aquamarine cost?
The main deposits of aquamarine are in Brazil, in the region of Minas Gerais and more precisely the mine of Santa Maria de Itabira. Gems originating from this deposit are among the most sought after in the world. The history of the fame of this region begins in 1910, when an aquamarine is extracted from the Minas Gérais. The crystal weighed 110 kg and was nearly 50 cm long. Still in Brazil, but in the region of Marambaia, this time, we extracted a copy with a record weight of 33 kg, named Marta Rocha, of the name of Miss Brazil of the same year. From this stone with exceptional dimensions, we will draw nearly 57,200 carats of gems to make jewelry.
The Santa Maria aquamarines are not the only ones in the world, there are other extraction zones, which deliver high-quality crystals to Pakistan, Madagascar, Nigeria, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Washington State. There are also deposits in Europe, several in France, in Tarn, Limousin, Morbihan and Allier.
The delivery, transport of these aquamarine stones and work on them explain the final rates of the gem. The price of seaweed, once it is set in stone, varies according to a number of factors:
- its color: very deep blue stones, being rare have a higher price
- its weight: it is expressed in carats and a carat equals 0.2 g
- its purity: the less impurities visible to the naked eye, the higher the quality of the stone
- its dimensions
Thus, its price is generally between 50 and 500 € per carat. For a large volume, very good quality and very strong blue, it is possible to go up to 2000 € per carat.
What are the virtues of aquamarine?
Due to its color ranging from pale blue to deep blue, its lithotherapy properties are associated with the throat chakra. It is also linked to the heart chakra as it soothes and supports when worn as an oval stone pendant or rolled stone bracelet. Thereby, it has a very positive effect on acute and sensitive vocal cords, especially when worn in the form of a necklace of natural stones.
Aquamarine is a soothing stone, which calms nervous tensions and anxiety. As such, it is often used to maintain the unity of the couple, to foster dialogue and mutual respect. Its properties are beneficial to both men and women.
Stone of courage, it helps to give the body tonicity and dynamism by acting on immune strengthening. Since it impacts the regulation of the heart rhythm, it is widely used in lithotherapy in high blood pressure. Very positive on the respiratory system, it has the property of rebalancing dysfunctional thyroids. Sensitive to water, aquamarine helps greatly to treat eczema, psoriasis or other skin rashes such as acne. Wearing a bracelet of stones rolled up from aquamarines makes it possible to fight effectively against the motion sickness, and more precisely the seasickness.
Aquamarine is a semi-precious stone that is perfectly combined with the Lazuli lapis thanks to which it promotes clarity of mind, helps with memorization and supports its wearer to make the right decisions. Aesthetically, aquamarine goes very well with ribbon beads. It is easily associated with several signs of the zodiac, but the aquamarine is considered as the birthstone of the month of March, and is particularly suitable for Aries and Pisces.
Aquamarine: watch out for contraindications
People with diabetes and pregnant women must absolutely avoid wearing an aquamarine. It causes fluctuations in blood glucose and blood pressure. In children, it can cause severe diarrhea and, in extreme cases, convulsions. Be careful as it can also cause severe headaches to the elderly.
It is recommended not to constantly wear a jewel including an aquamarine stone and to avoid the association with black stones. Place your ring, bracelet, necklace or even your pendant with a simple aquamarine oval stone in a closed box and keep in a healthy environment.
How to clean jewelry with an aquamarine stone?
In lithotherapy, it is advisable to maintain your aquamarine stone by plunging it regularly in distilled water and then to recharge it in the sun.
To preserve the brilliance of its aquamarine stone, simply pass it under running water at medium temperature and wipe it with a soft cloth. Don’t forget that this is a crystal of considerable hardness. Do not place it next to a stone of lower hardness, which it would damage by scratching it permanently.
