Gemstone Knowledge of Aquamarine
Aquamarine Ring
Family: Adorable Aquamarine belongs to the Quartz family of gemstones
Country Location: Aquamarine can be found in Brazil (which is thought to have the highest quality Aquamarines), Afghanistan, Nigeria and Madagascar (where a darker blue variety of Aquamarine can be found)
Rock Type: Aquamarine can be found in pegmatite’s (a very coarse grained from of igneous rock) and alluvial deposits (soil and sediments deposited by a river, stream or sea) of gravel In Brazil these locations are called “cascalho”
Hardness: Aquamarine’s hardness measures at 7.5 making it ideal for jewellery use
Popular Cuts: Aquamarine is found using the Step cut which helps the gemstone display its beautiful cool blue hue; the Brilliant cut which enables an Aquamarine’s brilliance to mimic that of a Diamond; and the Cabochon cut which enables a “cat’s eye” effect to be visible Most cutters look for the highest saturation of colour to determine how to cut Aquamarines
Colour: Aquamarine’s aquatic like colours can be seen in sea green, sky blue and dark blue Aquamarine can appear as being colourless or blue when viewed at different angles, meaning that it has the optical property of dichroicism
Lustre: Aquamarine’s lustre is Vitreous (glass like appearance)
History: Aquamarine’s history centres on the sea. Its named is derived from the Latin term “aqua mare” meaning sea water. Many sailors, whether they fought wars or just simply sailed, regarded Aquamarine very highly. Emperor Nero had many Aquamarine objects, such as an eyeglass, nearly 2000 years ago
Folklore: Aquamarine has many folklore beliefs associated with it. It is believed to keep sailors safe at sea, bring spiritual calm and peace, enhance trust and harmonious friendships as well as relieving stress and insomnia
Special Care: Aquamarines can be cleaned using soft cloth and lukewarm water. They can also be ultrasonically cleaned if they do not have fractures and inclusions
