Our next publication under the heading "Stone of the Month" is about the March aquamarine. Aquamarine is associated in astrology with the planet Neptune and the month of March, when the sky is of the same transparent blue color. According to one legend, the sailors that came across a treasure chest belonging to a mermaid discovered the first aquamarine. The owner was not at all angry – on the contrary, she became their protectoress. According to another legend, the Love gave the world one of the most beautiful minerals. The tears of a young girl that lost her beloved dropped in the cold ocean waves and turned into gems of amazing beauty - transparent and pure.

The merit in the invention of the name is attributed to the writer, historian and professional Roman military Pliny the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus) - famous for his 37-volume encyclopedic Natural History. Aqua marina in Latin means seawater. Aquamarine is a gemstone that is a variety of beryl. A stone that has the color of the horizonless ocean water. For hundreds or even thousands of years, it has been accompanying sailors in their voyages as a companion and lucky mascot. When Pliny the Elder featured precious stones, he noted that the most valuable of the beryls were those that, in their color, resembled the seawater pure green color. He also wrote about the similar nature of beryl, aquamarine and emerald. Aquamarine is a jeweler variety of beryl. The main characteristic is the color that might differ from blue to greenish. Iron creates green stones, brown color stones appear if there are many cavities and they are filled with liquid.

Unique qualities of aquamarine:

• unusually large crystals;

• combination of hardness, brittleness and lightness;

• Dichromatism that appears while changing the sight angle.

Deposits are known on all continents, the most significant of them in Brazil, Madagascar and Russia (Urals, Transbaikalia). The world's top supplier is Brazil. Giant specimens were found here, the largest of which was extracted at the beginning of the 20th century. From a block of 105 kg, 220 thousand carats of jewelry material were obtained. Before that, the gem "Jacoueto" (18 kg, 30 thousand carats) was found. In 1917, blue sapphire color stones were discovered. They were called aquamarines aquamarine Maxis - in honor of the mine. But the bright sun ruined the color: the crystals turned yellow and reddish.

Aquamarine is a gemstone of the third class. The same group includes spinel, white and fire opal, pink topaz, tourmalines and many other minerals. The mineral was known in Sumer four thousand years ago. The ancient Greeks wore amulets with aquamarine to win the favor of Poseidon, Sovereign of the Seas and the practical inhabitants of Ancient China actively used the mineral while manufacturing lenses for optical instruments. Today, aquamarine is considered a symbol of sincere love and friendship, purity and magic. The main magical property of aquamarine of any shade is to protect the owner from making wrong decisions and dangerous “extremity" in behavior. The magic of aquamarine helps to preserve love and harmonize emotions.

The healing properties of aquamarine were known since ancient Rome, when wealthy citizens used the mineral to treat hepatic disorder, sore throat and stomach. In addition, mascot with aquamarine helps a person to defeat viral infections, relieve stress, get out of depressive state and improve the state of the nervous system as a whole. In the Middle Ages, sorcerers believed that this stone could neutralize the effects of poison. In modern crystal healing, the stone is also used to stand up against obsessive habits. 

Aquamarine is often used for decoration. Souvenirs are made from this gem (including the marine theme figurines - dolphins, fish and other sea animals). Despite active use of this stone in decor, jewelry remains the main area of application. Men wear tie clips, cufflinks and rings with aquamarine. Ladies can choose for themselves almost any jewelry with this stone.

New thematic photo album "Aquamarine - stone mascot of March" is posted in our Photo Gallery.

Interesting Aquamarine Facts:
-- The weight of the largest faceted aquamarine is 2594 carats. Another large aquamarine - weighing 920 carats, adorns the crown of the English queen.
-- The Moscow Kremlin Armory Chamber features a unique scepter, made from a single piece of aquamarine.
-- Aquamarine tends to become very pale when exposed to direct sunlight for a long time.