Aquamarine: March's Birthstone

Aquamarine gets its name from the Latin word meaning “water of the sea”, which accurately depicts its cool light blue, yellow and pink colors. Primarily a gemstone mined in Brazil , Aquamarine can be found in a wide variety of places and colors, but is a deep shade of blue in its rarest form.

Years ago, Aquamarine was believed to be what mermaid's tails were made of. Another legend says that King Neptune of the sea gave aquamarine to mermaids as gifts, and it has since been a symbol of love and endearment, making it a popular anniversary gift. Supposedly, this gemstone was also coveted by sailors as a charm for safety on the water and to remind them of their loved ones far away.

Aquamarine is a type of beryl stone and is mined throughout the world. Aquamarine that come from the Santa Maria Mine in Brazil are rare, intense blue aquamarines that “make every gemstone lover's heart beat faster” (ICGA). Another famous type of Aquamarine is the ‘Espirito Santo' from Brazil which have a blue that is not quite as intense as Santa Maria Aquamarine.
A durable gemstone, Aquamarine ranks at 7.5-8 out of 10 on the Mohs scale (used to determine gem hardness) and can easily be worn on a daily basis.

Commonly worn as the light blue birthstone of March, Aquamarine is sometimes permanently heat treated to remove traces of green from its blue color.